UPS Flight Forward, the subsidiary of UPS, has been awarded the first full Part 135 Standard certification from the FAA to operate a drone airline. 

With this certification, UPS Flight Forward will expand its drone delivery service to further support hospital campuses around the country, and provide customers outside of just the healthcare industry with delivery options.

In the future, the company plans to use UAS to transport a variety of items for customers in several industries. The company also plans to routinely fly UAS beyond the operators’ visual line of sight (BVLOS).

“This is history in the making, and we aren’t done yet,” says David Abney, UPS chief executive officer.

“Our technology is opening doors for UPS and solving problems in unique ways for our customers. We will soon announce other steps to build out our infrastructure, expand services for healthcare customers and put drones to new uses in the future.”

After being awarded the Part 135 Standard certification on Friday, Sept. 27, UPS Flight Forward immediately launched the first drone delivery flight by any company under Part 135 Standard at WakeMed’s hospital campus in Raleigh, North Carolina. Utilizing a Matternet M2 quadcopter, the flight was conducted under a government exemption that allows BVLOS operations, which is also a first in the U.S. for a regular revenue-generating delivery.

UPS partnered with drone-maker Matternet earlier this year to launch its healthcare delivery service on the WakeMed campus.

The highest level of certification, the FAA’s Part 135 Standard certification has no limits on the size or scope of operations. With the certificate, UPS Flight Forward can fly an unlimited number of UAS with an unlimited number of remote operators in command, which allows the company to meet customer demand by scaling its operations. Under Part 135 Standard, the UAS and cargo can also exceed 55 pounds and fly at night, which were previous restrictions that governed earlier UPS flights.