Special Delivery: Drone Technology in Our State
Louisiana is positioning itself as a leader in welcoming new and emerging technologies. From Waymos learning the streets of New Orleans, the space satellites delivering high speed internet to rural communities, the LSU football players receiving care from AI-powered stethoscopes, and now, the drones carrying packages to Baton Rouge residents.
Last week, Baton Rouge became the first city in Louisiana to receive Amazon’s drone delivery service. Customers within a 7.5 mile radius of the Amazon fulfillment center can receive packages up to five pounds. In addition to proximity, customers must select the drone delivery option at checkout. The drones are a far cry from the small remote control recreational drones with which people might be more familiar. Flying up to 200 feet high and reaching speeds of up to 70 mph, the drones have a diameter over five feet long and are able to scan an area for obstacles before releasing a package.
Drone regulations vary greatly between states. Additionally, while the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has provided standards for drone operations, they are still evolving to meet the increasingly advanced uses for drones. Because of this landscape, the drones in the capital city are more than a novel way to receive an Amazon order. They are an indicator of a state that has embraced innovation, offered the degree of regulatory clarity that attracts tech companies, and is reaping the benefits.
Similarly, in the most recent legislative session, Louisiana’s lawmakers considered Senate Bill 488, now signed into law as Act 521, creating the School Safety Drone Response Pilot Program. Like the Amazon delivery drones, the program could not exist without lawmakers’ willingness to learn and engage with a developing technology, and now has the potential to avert a crisis and even save lives.
Because technology is rapidly and ever changing, state legislatures will continue to find themselves at a crossroads: learn about, test, and embrace innovation or reject it before it has the chance to meet the needs of a state’s people and economy? The drones buzzing around Baton Rouge are an indicator that our state chose the former and its residents are beginning to see the real benefits.
