FedEx, Alphabet and Uber Win Drone Sweepstakes Lost by Amazon
- Governments from Virginia to Alaska selected as test areas
- One Florida county wants to use drone to spray for mosquitos
The Future of High-Powered Commercial Drones
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At Memphis International Airport, drones may soon be inspecting planes and delivering airplane parts for FedEx Corp. In Reno, Nevada, they will test airlifting life-saving defibrillators to patients. And customers in Virginia could get goods they ordered from Alphabet Inc.’s flying devices.
A who’s who of technology and aviation companies won U.S. approval Wednesday to push the edge of the envelope in drone flights, from testing people’s tolerance for delivery devices hovering over their rooftops to ensuring farmers’ drones won’t hit crop dusters.