Google drones appear in FAA database
Two new drones have been added to the FAA database and the listed manufacturer name is none other than Google. The listings appear to be consistent with previous work by Google to develop drones for use with a delivery project originating from the Google X labs. The latest devices may be the successors to the Project Wing concept that Google was testing in Australia. The new drones are codenamed the M2 and the B3 and were submitted to the FAA on October 2nd and October 7th respectively.
Earlier this year Google X labs head Astro Teller indicated the testing of a UAV in Australia had not panned out as intended, so Google was going back to the drawing board with some new designs. Although details are scant, the new devices are both listed as being fixed-wing craft with two electric motors and weighing less than 55 pounds.
For the FAA, Google supplied the address of their Boulder, Colorado location rather than their headquarters in Mountain View. Since the aircraft have two different model numbers, sources think Google may be testing two distinct designs. The move to list the UAVs with the FAA also appears to be step taken by Google to keep the project out of hot water, like allegations from earlier this year that they may have been sidestepping FAA rules by testing drones under the auspices of their work with NASA.
You can check out a video below for some of the work Google did on Project Wing.
Click here to view the embedded video.
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