The latest endeavor to emerge from Google Inc’s
advanced-research lab is flying into a field buzzing with competitors. Google X
said Thursday it is developing a system of drones to deliver goods. Google said a 5-foot-wide single-wing
prototype from its Project Wing carried supplies including candy bars, dog
treats, cattle vaccines, water and radios to two farmers in Queensland,
Australia, earlier this month.
Google's drones are 2½ feet high and have four propellers
that move into different positions for different stages of flight. Packages fit
into a gap in the middle of the wing. Google said it began test flights last
year.
The rush to the skies comes despite the fact that commercial
drone use is mostly banned in the U.S. The Federal Aviation Administration is
considering regulations to change that and in June approved the first
commercial drone flight over land—for energy giant BP PLC in Alaska. But
the regulator is moving carefully because the technology is potentially
dangerous and raises privacy concerns.
Google aims to have the drones flying programmed routes at
altitudes of 130 feet to 200 feet with the push of a button. Precise navigation
will be needed to pick the most efficient routes while controlling noise,
respecting the privacy and safety of people on the ground and delivering items
to an area the size of a doorstep, Google said.
A YouTube video released
by Google shows Australian farmers ordering dog food. The drone takes off
vertically, with its single wing pointing to the sky. Once in the air, the wing
turns into a horizontal position and the vehicle flies fast, more like an
airplane than a hovering, helicopter-like drone.
The company hopes its drones will create new economic growth
opportunities by moving goods around more efficiently.
Earlier this year, the FAA said it didn't contemplate
autonomous drone delivery, effectively grounding Google's and Amazon's
ambitions for now. However, having both Google and Amazon working to change the
FAA's view increased their chances of success.
Commercial drone use by these companies faces legal and
practical headwinds. Legal experts have questioned the legality of operating
drones within homeowners' airspace and raised insurance issues.
Click
here to access the full article on The Wall Street Journal.