From Buzzfeed:
A Senate committee will hold a hearing early next year to explore the potential economic impact of private companies using drones, including Amazon’s proposed drone delivery program, BuzzFeed has learned.
An aide to West Virginia Sen. Jay Rockefeller, the chairman of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, said the hearing was in the works before Amazon CEO Jeff Bezo’s Sunday night announcement that the company plans to use drones to make deliveries.
“Amazon’s plans for using drones to deliver packages is just one example of the potential this technology offers consumers, and a reflection of the ingenuity of American business,” Rockefeller said. “As we move forward toward integrating drones into civilian life and capitalizing on the economic opportunities they offer, we must make certain that these aircrafts meet rigorous safety and privacy standards. I plan to hold a hearing early next year to explore the potential economic benefits of unmanned vehicles in our airspace as well as the potential risks they may create.”
Comments
Billionaires generally get what they want in America. Its that whole capitalism thing.
I have inbox full of requests from state parks, fire departments, swat teams, police departments and all kinds of other business opportunities that the FAA is really screwing me out of with the commercial ban.
I welcome Amazon as a force who can get these old bureaucrats wheels rolling.
In any way GOOD PROMOTION =)
Whatever happened to carbon nanotube superconductors. I remember hearing/reading they were instantly charged and held 100s or 1000s more MAH compared to regular batteries of today.
Andreas lol :)
Looking forward to harvest Amazon drones from trees and powerlines!
Lets hope tech companies really lean on that committee with sensible proven systems. Stuff that folks in other parts of the world use day to day. Taking half baked plans will not work.
I suspect the FAA will select one of these projects to be the 2017 first civil trial south of cold bits.
Its a platform to take some sort of stance from....Flimsy in its potential but at least an entry point to get something meaningful started with some serious discussions.
Best news for drones in a long time. If Tech takes over advocacy from DoD we have a chance at a real industry.
thought he already owned an airline!
They don't get interested unless it's some huge corporation that can contribute huge revenue, or contribute campaign funds to somebody on their team. When it's ordinary people, who might be able to make a job for themselves and stay off the dole, they're deaf.