Drone Delivery Canada (DDC) has begun the process to enter the USA market as a drone delivery operator, reports commercialdroneprofessional.com.
Presently, the company is in discussion with various potential US-based partners who have expressed interest in working with them to provide proprietary systems to support their business. DDC has commenced the procedure to apply for an aircraft Type Design Approval for the Sparrow drone, with subsequent aircraft in DDC’s fleet to follow.
Potential US-based partners would use the DDC delivery system to conduct for-hire operations in the US under 14 CFR Part 135 rules. This aircraft Type Certification is an essential first step for enabling FAA approval of routine beyond visual line-of-sight delivery operations, which in-turn will provide significant opportunities for expansion. The company is currently permitted to conduct limited delivery operations in the US using visual line of sight regulations under 14 CFR Part 107 rules.
Reflecting on the move, Michael Zahra, president and CEO, said: “We have successfully proven and commercialised the business model and gained market traction in Canada, so it’s a natural progression to expand, in a controlled way, to international markets.”
He continued, “We have active discussions underway in numerous international target markets and the US is an obvious choice. We have flown successfully in the country in a Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) pilot project, and now we are ready to start the process to enter the United States commercially.”
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