Drone delivery provider Flirtey has completed the first fully autonomous, FAA-approved, urban drone delivery in the USA in an uninhabited residential setting in Hawthorne, Nevada. The package contained bottled water, emergency food and a first aid kit.
The six-rotor drone flew itself along a pre-determined delivery route and lowered the package at a precise drop-off location. A Flirtey pilot was on standby during the delivery but was not required to intervene. Flirtey had previously conducted the first FAA-approved drone delivery in a rural environment in the USA in July 2015, when a series of urgent medical deliveries were made to a rural healthcare clinic.
Matt Sweeny, CEO of Flirtey, said, “Conducting the first drone delivery in an urban setting is a major achievement, taking us closer to the day that drones make regular deliveries to your front door. Drone delivery by Flirtey is set to save lives and change lifestyles.”
Brian Sandoval, governor of Nevada, said, “I congratulate Flirtey on successfully completing the nation’s first fully autonomous urban package delivery, and I am thrilled that Flirtey is not only testing its cutting-edge technology in Nevada, but also creating jobs through its headquarters’ relocation to Reno.
“When we first set out to target unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) through the Governor’s Office of Economic Development, we knew that our state had the expertise to make an FAA Test Site designation a reality, but what we really hoped to achieve was for Nevada to be the center of the commercial UAV industry the epicenter of research and development, testing, manufacturing, and policy surrounding drones and autonomous systems.
“The Knowledge Fund has been a successful tool to draw the industry’s attention to our capabilities, and Flirtey’s relocation to Nevada is an important step in this process.”
March 30, 2016