Thread resurgence.
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Google Unveils Project Wing.
The
AP (8/28) reported that Google announced Thursday an “ambitious program” called “Project Wing,” which involves developing a “fleet of drones” to deliver packages to people on the ground. According to the article, Google has already made test flights in Australia that involved sending “a first aid kit, candy bars, dog treats, and water to two farmers.”
USA Today (8/28, della Cava) called the news the start of the “drone wars” between Google and Amazon, which also announced a similar project. Because of FAA regulations, in addition to the public not being used to receiving packages in this manner, delivery by UAVs is still “the stuff of the future.” However, according to the article, “drone industry observers” believe that using UAVs in this manner is a question “of when not if.” The
Washington Post (8/28, Tsukayama) “The Switch” blog similarly noted that Google is not likely to have its UAV delivery system in place for years, especially because of the current state of regulations, a “major hurdle” to overcome.
Reuters (8/28, Oreskovic) reported that Google spokesman Ray Gobberg said that the company has informed the FAA of its project with the hope of finding locations in the U.S. where more test flights can take place. According to
Politico (8/28, Romm), there are those who have questioned Google projects because of privacy concerns in the past, and there are similar concerns today with the use of UAVs in the national airspace. The article also noted that Amazon was criticized by Sen. Ed Markey on this exact point when it revealed its own plans. Meanwhile, an executive order on “industry best practices” is expected to be signed by President Barack Obama sometime “soon.”
BBC News (8/28, Stewart) reported that Google also has a long-term goal of using the UAVs to send “aid to isolated areas” during disasters. The
Wall Street Journal (8/29, Barr, Bensinger, Subscription Publication),
Bloomberg News (8/29, Womack),
TIME (8/28, Feeney),
The Atlantic (8/28, Madrigal), the
Wired (8/28, Metz) “Enterprise” blog,
AdWeek (8/28, Castillo), and other media sources also covered the story.