Google firm wins US approval for drone deliveries

Washington: Wing Aviation, a firm owned by Google parent Alphabet, on Tuesday became the first drone operator to be certified as an airline by US authorities, allowing it to begin commercial deliveries in the country.

A number of companies have been testing drone delivery systems around the world for everything from food delivery to crop spraying as they aim to win over regulators and the public amid concerns about safety, noise pollution, privacy and collisions with other aircraft.

The Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) certification paves the way for Wing Aviation to start delivering a variety of small items like food and medicine to customers using its drones after they place orders using an app.

"This is an important step forward for the safe testing and integration of drones into our economy," said US Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao, in an FAA statement on the approval. "Safety continues to be our Number One priority as this technology continues to develop and realize its full potential."

As drones increasingly crowd the skies in many parts of the world, regulators have been pushed to formulate rules -- for everyone from hobbyists to commercial delivery services. This is the second major approval for Wing, which has been testing its drones in the United States, Finland and Australia.