No, drone delivery is not available in Alaska as of the time of writing.
What is drone delivery?
Drone delivery is a method of transporting goods using unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), commonly known as drones to customers. In several experimental tests, retailers and drone delivery companies are loading packages or goods onto a drone, which then flies to the delivery destination like a customers home residence. The drone uses GPS, sensors, and other systems to ensure that it reaches the correct location and will often land and detach the package or drop it down while mid-flight from it’s fuselage or lowered down on a wire system.
Drone delivery can offer several benefits, such as faster delivery times than ground based transportation, lower delivery costs and reduced carbon emissions compared to other methods. However, since drone delivery is still relatively new, it’s subject to regulation by aviation authorities to ensure safety and security and isn’t fully approved in many places. Additionally, the weight and size of packages that can be delivered by drones are limited by the battery capacity and flight time that drones currently have.
Is drone delivery available in Alaska?
No, drone delivery is not available in Alaska as of the time of writing. Be that as it may, Alaska does have a drone program within its Department of Transportation and Public Facilities. Even though it does not yet have a drone sandbox, a portion of the state’s hundreds of thousands of acres of wilderness could eventually be dedicated to testing. Right now, Alaska has several testing facilities, but there is no airspace reserved to serve that purpose.
Which companies currently offer drone delivery in this state?
Unmanned Aircraft, which will soon be deployed to test the feasibility of delivering emergency medical supplies across Alaska. This is part of a national initiative from the U.S. Department of Transportation and the White House.
Which cities or locations have it available in this state?
Drone delivery is not available in any city or location in Alaska as of the time of writing.
How Much Does it Cost?
Currently, there is no information available for the actual cost of this drone delivery since drone delivery is currently not available in Alaska.
How does it work?
Until the test program is complete and resources are put in place to make drone delivery a success in Alaska, we can’t know how it works.
Yet, according to Cathy Cahill, the director of the Alaska Center for Unmanned Aircraft Systems Integration at UAF, “the ability of Alaska companies to get FAA certified for commercial unmanned aircraft medical supply delivery and cargo-carrying operations will have a dramatic effect on Alaska’s economy and the health and well-being of all Alaskans. This is exactly what the IPP is designed to do for Alaska and the nation.”