Amazon Gets FAA Approval To Use Drones

Amazon.com Inc. has been awarded an experimental airworthiness certificate to use drones, according to the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration. Under the contract, Amazon's logistics unit will be allowed to use drones for research, development and crew training. All flight operations of unmanned aircraft must be conducted at 400 feet or below during daylight hours. The drone must remain within the line-of-sight of the pilot, who must have at least a private pilot's certificate. As part of the agreement with the FAA, Amazon must provide monthly data to the FAA, such as the number of flights conducted and whether there were unusual hardware or software malfunctions. Amazon did not immediately respond to MarketWatch for a comment. The company launched Amazon Prime Air in 2013, laying the framework for a future delivery system using drones. Its shares were inactive in after-hours trade.