Alphabet Inc.’s GOOGL, +1.34% GOOG, +1.26% Wing Aviation unit has received the first U.S. authorization to operate a fleet of unmanned aircraft for consumer-goods deliveries, a move that could jump-start various companies’ commercial drone services nationwide.
The Federal Aviation Administration’s decision represents a regulatory coup for Wing in a budding, fiercely competitive industry. Amazon.com Inc. AMZN, +1.93% and other companies are vying for similar approvals to transport food and small consumer goods to residential customers.
Industry officials in the past have said it was likely to take until 2020 or 2021 for the FAA to implement wide-ranging drone rules establishing a framework for package deliveries.
Because Tuesday’s green light currently covers only a rural area around Blacksburg, Va., it doesn’t resolve longstanding industry hurdles including security concerns about widespread drone operations, or current restrictions on commercial drone flights over populated areas.
An expanded version of this report appears on WSJ.com.
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