Ameriflight requests FAA exemption for drone ops

Dallas-based cargo airline Ameriflight is seeking exemptions from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in support of its request to add California-based Matternet M2 drones to its cargo operations, according to June 21 filing with the FAA. [caption id="attachment_91114" align="alignright" width="434"] Photo: Matternet[/caption] Ameriflight’s petition seeks exemption from Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR) Title 14 parts 61, 91 and 135, pursuant to 14 CFR part 11, according to the carrier’s filed request. Matternet’s M2 drone has the capability to transport two kilograms of cargo over distances of up to 20 kilometers, according to the company website. The airline intends to use the drones for package delivery in dense urban and suburban environments who can benefit from on-demand delivery, according to the filing. Deliveries are to be initiated from pre-established locations called nodes, where the shipper customer will pre-package the cargo into Matternet delivery boxes specifically designed for the M2, according to the filing. The drone flights will be managed from Ameriflight’s operations center at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport (DFW), where an assigned Remote Pilot in Command, or Captain, will initiate communication with the node to ensure that the vehicle is ready for transport, according to the filing. Specifically, the Captain will verify the vehicle status of the M2, complete the pre-flight checklist, check the local weather using node’s remote weather station, as well as address any potential airspace conflicts before initiating take-off procedures. After takeoff, the M2 aircraft will follow its flight plan to the destination node. Ameriflight’s future drone operations have the potential to include fully automated robotic stations, which will receive the cargo, load the aircraft, conduct the pre- and post-flight and automatically report vehicle status to the Captain, according to the filing. While specific customers have yet to be determined, Ameriflight is pursuing potential customers in areas related to medical support, with deliveries from hospitals to laboratories; long-term care support via shipments from pharmacies to care facilities; cruise lines, for transportation from hotels to virus-testing facilities; e-commerce with potential deliveries to restaurants for customers; and automotive, such as transport from supply warehouses to collision-repair centers, according to the filing. Ameriflight could not be immediately reached for comment. Ameriflight is just one example of the many cargo airlines looking into drone operations as last-mile delivery options. For instance, UPS’ technology subsidiary UPS Flight Forward sought exemptions from the FAA for Matternet operations in August 2019, which was approved later that year . According to Ameriflight’s filing, more than 5,000 Matternet deliveries have been completed for UPS Flight Forward in North Carolina and more than 2,000 in Florida since 2018. Amazon Prime Air, which has been testing delivery drones since 2013 as part of its 30-minute delivery initiative, also sought exemptions from the FAA in August 2019 and received approval in 2020.

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