E-commerce giant Amazon tells Federal Aviation Administration it will move drone testing abroad if it is banned from flying outdoors
12:17AM GMT 09 Dec 2014
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Amazon has warned America's Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) that it will move its drone research programme outside the US if the company is stopped from testing its unmanned aircraft.
The e-commerce giant is currently trying out its dones in the UK, and recently placed job adverts for pilots, as the company steps up plans to deliver products using aerial machines.
Seattle-based Amazon recently wrote a letter to the FAA stating that it would like to perform more tests in the US but would move these abroad if it is not allowed to do so outdoors.
"Without the ability to test outdoors in the United States soon, we will have no choice but to divert even more of our [drone] research and development resources abroad," Paul Misener, Amazon’s vice-president of global public policy, said in a letter to the FAA seen by The Wall Street Journal.
Amazon has urged the FAA on numerous occasions to let it step up its drone testing, without success.
The company has mainly developed its Prime Air programme in the US, but has now begun building up its team in Cambridge, where it runs a research and development office.
Amazon wants to hire a Flight Operations Engineer, a Project Manager, a Site Leader and a Software Develoment Engineer in the UK, according to thecareer page on the company's website.
The advertisements state that Amazon is "working on the future" and the company is looking for people who can "drive innovation".
"If you want to apply state-of-the-art technologies to solve extreme-scale real world problems… If you want the satisfaction of providing visible benefit to end-users in an iterative fast paced environment… This is your opportunity," the jobs adverts state.
Each of the roles have specific requirements, but the job description for the Flight Operations Engineer is the most revealing when it comes to Amazon's drone plans.
"You can expect to collaborate on test plans, plan the test evolution, and execute the flights while working closely with our flight engineering and flight test teams in Seattle.
"We're looking for aerospace, systems, or other engineers with extensive UAS [unmanned aircraft systems] flight experience. Success will require attention to detail, a safety-oriented attitude, flexibility, and creative problem solving."
The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) currently bans the flying of drones over or within 150m of built-up areas, warning that "such aircraft are likely to be operated in a way that may pose a greater risk to the general public".
However, the CAA admits that "there are no established operating guidelines" for drones.
A report last month by the University of Birmingham Policy Commissions stated that the use of drones in the UK will jump in the next two decades, raising "significant safety, security, and privacy concerns".
The commission called for "urgent" measures to protect citizens' privacy, but admitted unmanned aircraft could bring "significant benefits" to the economy.
Lambert Dopping-Hepenstal, from the Institution of Engineering and Technology, said: “We are very likely to see a lot of progress in this area over the next decade.
“However, there are many challenges to overcome. Top of the list is the need to mature the technologies and demonstrate to the regulators that unmanned aircraft can operate safely in our airspace."
When contacted by The Telegraph, Amazon said: "We have multiple Prime Air development centres, including Research and development labs in Seattle and Cambridge. We’re always looking to add great talent to the team; the Cambridge-based Prime Air positions we have open are a reflection of that."
Google tests its delivery drone in Australia
Amazon founder Jeff Bezos revealed in December 2013 that the online retailer was planning to use drones to deliver packages.
He said the company hoped to deploy an armada of flying “octocopters” that will carry products weighing under five pounds to users within 30 minutes of an order being placed.
Mr Bezos told CBS Televison's 60 Minutes show at the time: “These are effectively drones, but there’s no reason that they can’t be used as delivery vehicles.
“I know this looks like science fiction. It’s not. It’s very green, it’s better than driving trucks around.
“We can do half-hour delivery and we can carry objects, we think, up to five pounds, which covers 86pc of the items that we deliver.”
In July the company asked the Federal Aviation Administration for permission to fly its drones publicly.
Google's design drawing for its Australia delivery drone
Amazon is not the only company branching out into drones. Google heldextensive tests in Queensland, Australia, just three months ago.
The technology giant flew chocolate bars, dog treats, cattle vaccines, water and radios to people in remote areas. In total, 30 successful delivery flights of about 1km were made over the course of a week.
Using four rotor blades, the vehicle hovered up to 60 metres above "common obstacles" while flying, so it would not collide with power lines, trees or houses. According to a graphic produced by Google, the drone had a wingspan of 1.5 metres and is 0.8 metres long, with a small compartment on the bottom that was used to transport goods.
Cambridge has become a popular location for technology companies, with Microsoft, Sony and Siemens also running offices in the city. Apple could be the next company to have a presence in the area after reports emerged earlier this week that it was looking at opening a research and development centre there.
