I just watched a local tv news story (New York City) regarding a pizza place that has delivered the first pizza to a customer via a drone -- which IMO has to be a faked publicity stunt. They used a Phantom to "deliver" a very small pizza. I'm guessing someone just launched it off the apartment building's rooftop and landed it in the courtyard below for reporters to film. Oh yeah.. and it apparently hit a tree branch as it came down and crashed. LOL. There is no way this was sent autonomously to deliver a pizza, and then expected to take off again and return to the restaurant??? The crash probably cost the pizza place owner $900 in repairs to "deliver" a $5 pizza.
But the interesting part is they (of course) didn't have Federal approval for the commercial use. When questioned about that, an FAA rep said "they would only penalize companies if they find out that the drones are being operated carelessly or recklessly". Are they silently green-lighting commercial use?
See story and video here: http://7online.com/technology/brooklyn-pizza-shop-tests-delivery-via-drone/385645/
But the interesting part is they (of course) didn't have Federal approval for the commercial use. When questioned about that, an FAA rep said "they would only penalize companies if they find out that the drones are being operated carelessly or recklessly". Are they silently green-lighting commercial use?
See story and video here: http://7online.com/technology/brooklyn-pizza-shop-tests-delivery-via-drone/385645/