The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration has made a few changes to regulations to offer more flexibility to a few of the companies testing drone technology while keeping a check on regulations and safety measures.
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Toporek says Walmart is ready to start outdoor tests immediately if the FAA gives approval.
But Walmart also wants to test out drones that deliver purchases from the store to a vehicle in its auto park, and to drop goods off at customers’ homes – either from a depot or from a delivery truck close by.
Reuters was able to take a look at the application, and quoted a section of it wherein Walmart, which operated at an income of $27.147bn in 2014, asks for permission to use semi-automated delivery drones to be used in “deliveries to customers at Walmart facilities, as well as to consumer homes”.
To date the FAA has approved more than 2,100 exemptions allowing for commercial drone testing and use. The FAA attempts to respond to such petitions in 120 days, said FAA spokesman Les Dorr. Google has also been experimenting with drone delivery, according to published reports.
The FAA will now review Wal-Mart’s application, and will determine whether it needs to be fast-tracked like applications for other companies or exempt, which would see regulators conducting a risk analysis and seeking public comment.
The FAA is still crafting final rules for the use of commercial drones in the US.
Walmart plans to use its drones for home deliveries, though Nick said the company’s “initial focus” will be moving products between distribution centers.
The company also wants to use drones to assist with tracking merchandise, such as taking inventory of trailers outside its distribution centers, according to the filing.
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With 70 percent of USA residents within five miles of a Wal-Mart, drone delivery is very intriguing for the retailer. Current restrictions prohibit flying drones beyond the line-of-sight of a human operator or over people. The company would first gain permission from residents of small neighborhoods along the flight path as part of its plan to test the drone delivery waters. The test flights would confirm whether a drone could deliver a package to a pick-up point in the parking lot of a store, the application says.
