FAA Approves First Commercial Drone Flights Beyond Visual Line Of Sight In Dallas

For the first time, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has cleared commercial drone operators in Dallas to fly beyond their operator’s sight.

According to the agency, Zipline International and Wing Aviation have received approval to conduct package deliveries—ensuring their drones remain safely separated through the use of new Unmanned Aircraft System Traffic Management (UTM) technology.

“This is the first time the FAA has recognized a third-party to safely manage drone-to-drone interactions,” said Praveen Raju, a program manager in the FAA’s NextGen Office. “As always, safety comes first, and we required exhaustive research and testing before giving the green light.”

The FAA says the UTM technology will allow companies to exchange data and flight plans with other authorized users in shared airspace. All flights are conducted below 400 feet altitude and away from crewed aircraft.

The FAA expects initial UTM flights to begin in August and says it will issue new authorizations in the future.