Virginia has become the first state in the USA to approve the use of Personal Delivery Devices (PDD) on sidewalks, shared-use paths, and crosswalks.
The new legislation, patroned by Senator Bill DeSteph and approved by Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe, will come into effect from July 1, 2017.
The rule change will enable ground-based delivery drones, such as those produced by Starship Technologies, to travel on city sidewalks delivering parcels, groceries and food.
Ahti Heinla, CEO of Starship Technologies, said, “The Commonwealth sent an unmistakable message that it embraces innovation and technology. I applaud the McAuliffe Administration, senator DeSteph and chairman Villanueva for their leadership in making this happen and we look forward to making deliveries a little easier for the citizens of the Commonwealth of Virginia.”
Senator DeSteph said, “I was honored to carry this important legislation and I am proud that Virginia is the first state in the nation to approve the state-wide use of these autonomous delivery robots. Passage of the legislation demonstrates Virginia’s continuing commitment to the unmanned industry and demonstrates that the Commonwealth is open to growing this market in Virginia.”
March 3, 2017