Google is to start testing drone deliveries in the US, taking on Amazon, which got the green light to start testing in the UK last week.
The Federal Aviation Administration gave Google’s parent company permission to test drones weighing 25g or less in the company’s project wing, The Daily Telegraph has reported this morning.
The news follows the announcement last week that Amazon had been given the go-ahead to run similar tests near Cambridge in the UK.
A cross-government team supported by the Civil Aviation Authority gave Amazon permission to explore three key areas: beyond line-of-sight operations in rural and suburban areas; testing sensor performance to make sure drones can identify and avoid obstacles; and flights where one person operates multiple highly automated drones.
PwC has valued the global market for the commercial application of drone technology at more than $127bn (£96bn).
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