Drone Delivery Becomes Closer to Reality

FAA Completes Environmental Reviews for Amazon Prime Air, UPS Flight Forward, and Zipline International Inc

Drone delivery is fast becoming a tangible reality thanks to exciting news posted recently from the FAA. The FAA recently updated the public on completed environmental reviews and proposed reviews for Amazon, UPS Flight Forward, Zipline, and a number of other companies 1. The FAA, following the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), uses a tiered approach to assess the environmental impacts of proposed drone activities through Categorical Exclusions (CATEX), Environmental Assessments (EA), and Environmental Impact Statements (EIS), based on the scope and potential impact. Let’s review some of the most interesting case studies with NEPA approvals.

Amazon Prime Air drone Package Delivery Operations [College Station, TX]

Amazon who announced drone deliveries back in December 1st, 2013 are still the biggest mover in drone deliveries. Amazon Prime Air proposed to expand their drone delivery operations in College Station by moving to a new drone model (MK30). They will be increasing their daily flights because they are expanding their operating hours to 7 AM to 10 PM, originally limited to daylight hours. This should move their estimated flights from 52,000 a year to 171,329! The FAA's Supplemental EA assesses the potential environmental consequences of the proposed expansion, focusing on noise, wildlife, and historical resources. The local community wasn’t exactly rolling out the welcome mat, voicing concerns about noise pollution, threats to local wildlife like the whooping crane and tricolor bat, and potential impacts on College Station's historic charm. Despite the pushback, the FAA gave the thumbs-up, determining there wasn’t enough reason to ground the project. Meanwhile, Amazon is gearing up for the next-gen fleet, transitioning from the MK27-2 to the sleeker, mightier MK30, boasting a takeoff weight of 83.2 pounds and an impressive 7.5-mile delivery radius.

Zipline International Drone Package Delivery Operations [Salt Lake City, Utah and Surrounding Areas]

Zipline International Inc. is gearing up for some high-flying fun with drone package deliveries in the Salt Lake City area! Using a sleek 46-pound drone, operations will take off from a central hub—or "nest"—in South Jordan, covering a sprawling 1,675-square-mile region. These speedy deliveries are set to run during daylight hours, seven days a week, zipping goods to pre-approved customer locations in 17 communities. With up to 20 flights a day, Zipline is ready to keep the skies busy and customers happy. The FAA gave the green light with a Finding of No Significant Impact on December 23, 2022.

Causey Aviation [North Carolina]

The FAA gave the green light to Causey Aviation Unmanned, Inc.’s drone delivery plans in North Carolina, concluding there’s no significant environmental downside. Using their Flytrex FTX-M600P drones, Causey will expand operations from visual to beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS), delivering packages within two nautical miles of distribution centers in Fayetteville, Holly Springs, Raeford, and Pinehurst.

The FAA’s thorough Environmental Assessment covered everything from butterfly habitats to noise levels and historical sites, with no major red flags. After consulting with local and tribal preservation offices, analyzing drone noise, and gathering public feedback, the FAA issued a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI).

Thoughts

Buckle up, 2025 is gearing up to be the year of drone services becoming more mainstream. The FAA NEPA reviews are fair and the common worries around noise and environmental pollution are not impediments to the further integration of drones within our national airspace.