Drone company Flytrex and drone services company Causey Aviation Unmanned Inc. (CAU) have received approval from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to begin a pilot of food deliveries by drone in Holly Springs, N.C.
The initiative is part of the federal UAS Integration Pilot Program in partnership with the North Carolina Department of Transportation, Causey Aviation, the Town of Holly Springs, and Kite Realty Group Trust. The partners will provide on-demand food delivery for local residents.
The announcement comes in the wake of the recent validation of Flytrex’s self-triggered parachute recovery system by the Northeast UAS Airspace Integration Research (NUAIR) Alliance, according to standards set by the FAA and the American Society for Testing and Materials.
“Regulation is crucial to the future of widespread drone delivery, both for safe operations and public acceptance, which is why we have been working diligently with the FAA to adhere to the highest standards of safety,” says Yariv Bash, CEO and co-founder of Flytrex. “We continually strive to reach new heights when it comes to advancing commercial drone use around the world. That is why we are thrilled to have been chosen to work so closely with the FAA to help this pilot take off. This is just the beginning as we expand the possibilities of sky-bound delivery.”
Per the approved proposal, Flytrex drones will operate along one predetermined delivery route, connecting a distribution center at Holly Springs Towne Center – a shopping destination owned and operated by Kite Realty Group – with a single delivery point: Ting Park, a nearby outdoor sports and recreation hub. The flight route, which crosses over Route 55, will include primarily non-populated areas and will avoid adjacent neighborhoods. The operations will be conducted in accordance with Part 107 rules and within line of sight of the remote pilot in command.
