Zipline, a drone-based delivery services provider, has received the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) approval to operate its delivery drone beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) for commercial deliveries.

Zipline will employ its Sparrow drone, designed to release payloads via parachute and cover distances of up to 120 miles for BVLOS operations.  

This system utilizes transponders to identify nearby aircraft and an acoustic avoidance system that employs lightweight microphones to detect and avoid other aircraft within a two-mile radius, enhancing the safety of BVLOS operations.

Analyst QuickTake: Zipline obtained approval to conduct commercial deliveries on a trial basis in June 2022, becoming the fourth company to have achieved this then. Furthermore, the joint drone-based delivery operation of incumbent UPS Flight Forward and startup Matternet also received approval to conduct BVLOS flights earlier this month after receiving the approval to conduct commercial deliveries in 2019. These developments signify increased autonomy for drone operators and will pave the way for such companies to expand drone adoption and scale their services.