The Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) has partnered with Zing to test package delivery operations through the FAA’s new BEYOND program. The program is focusing on expanding operations that are Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS), improving public perception of UAS, and quantifying the economic and societal impacts of these advanced operations.
Elaine L. Chao, U.S. Secretary of Transportation announced “The three years of information gathered under the drone Integration Pilot Program (IPP) will be applied to a new initiative called BEYOND which will further advance the safe integration of drones into our national air space. The IPP propelled the American drone industry forward, allowing for unprecedented expansions in testing and operations through innovative private-public partnerships across the country. Now, the BEYOND program will build upon this success, tackling the next big challenges facing drone integration.”
Michael Kratsios, U.S. Chief Technology Officer commented “The IPP propelled the American drone industry forward, allowing for unprecedented expansions in testing and operations through innovative private-public partnerships across the country. Now, the BEYOND program will build upon this success, tackling the next big challenges facing drone integration.”
Ian Annase, Founder and CEO of Zing stated “It is an honor to be a part of the exclusive group of partners in Kansas who will be testing and implementing these cutting edge operations. We are grateful for the opportunity to be one of the first to implement and scale package delivery use cases that are Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS). We are especially excited to be testing and implementing NASA’s Unmanned Traffic Management (UTM) system into our end-to-end drone delivery platform.”
