(Newswire.net — June 10, 2015) — The FAA regulatory body is finding it hard to keep up with all the recent advancements in unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) technology. Boeing has set the bar even higher and taken the technology even further by developing a concept that could keep drones in the air forever, Russia Today reported.
Though the patent was filed in March of 2013, the US Patent and Trademark Office approved it only a week ago. According to the RT, the patent ‘could revolutionize drones as we know them, foregoing the need to refuel or recharge on land.
The design for electrically-powered drones is quite different than ones available now. The Boeing blueprints show that the drones are more like Zeppelins than a chopper-like vehicle with an on board camera. They would have a retractable cable on the bottom that can extend and connect to the special recharging antennas mounted on the power supply stations.
After one drone is fully charged, another replaces it at the charging antenna. The drone can be connected to a number of chargers on land, at sea, or mid-flight, allowing virtually unlimited time in the air.
The main concept of constantly circling drones is developed for delivery companies who are interested in fast and fully automated delivery systems through the air, although it could potentially be the start of a revolutionary and futuristic city transportation system.
Boeing hasn’t yet given any indication on whether it actually plans to build the drones, however, by registering the patent the company shows that they plan on leading change in this emerging industry.
NASA and Verizon are already investing in new technology that would use already existing cell phone towers to monitor civilian and commercial drones, and in April, Amazon was granted rights to test drones in the US, RT reported. Previously, Amazon tested its drone prototypes in Canada until the FAA, which has already come under fire for its alleged lack of privacy protections, regulated drone flights in US by three insurance giants: AIG, State Farm and USAA.
The e-commerce giant, Amazon, hopes to revolutionize delivery services with the unmanned aerial vehicles technology. Apparently, Boeing also believes that drone technology opens an entirely new market in commercial low altitude flights.
Under current regulations, the FAA prohibits commercial drone operators from flying drones beyond their line of sight, and restricts their use to daylight hours. Also, drones must stay below 500 feet in the air, and fly less than 100 miles per hour. A drone operator must also pass an aeronautics test.