The stock price of Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN) surged more than 5% to $346.20 per share after the e-commerce giant submitted a request to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to test drones outside its research laboratory.
In December, last year, Jeff Bezos, the CEO of Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN) revealed that the company is experimenting drones to deliver goods faster to consumers. The e-commerce giant wants to use unmanned drones or octocopters to deliver packages that weigh less than five pounds.
During a previous interview with CBS television network, Bezox explained that the octocopters are capable of delivering products within the ten mile radius of the fulfillment centers of Amazon.com, Inc. (NYSE:AMZN) within 30 minutes at a speed of about 50 miles per hour.
Amazon.com, Inc. (NYSE:AMZN) is currently testing its octocopters at its research laboratory in Seattle and in indoors in other countries. Based on the e-commerce giant’s letter to the FCC, it wants to test the unmanned drones in outdoor areas near its research lab.
Last year, the United States government established six areas for companies, universities and other entities ti test drones from a wider commercial use in Alaska, Nevada, New York, North Dakota, Texas and Virginia.
Unfortunately, the state of Washington where the research lab of Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN) is located is not included in the areas approved by the government to test drones.
The company indicated in its letter to the FAA that it intends to use one or more of the six approved six sites to test its drones. The company also emphasized that it would be impractical to limit its drone tests to those areas.
Amazon.com’s head of global public policy said, “Of course, Amazon would prefer to keep the focus, jobs and investment of this important research and development initiative in the United States.”
Over the past five months, Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN) expanded the number of experts working on drone technology. The e-commerce giant hired aeronautical engineers, roboticists and a former NASA astronaut to join its drone team. Recently, the company advertised that it is looking for a full-time communications manager for its drone program.
