Dive Brief:

• The Federal Aviation Administration Thursday approved outdoor drone testing by 48 companies, including Amazon, subject to several conditions.

• The companies are required to fly remote-controlled aircraft during daylight hours, lower than 400 feet, at least 500 feet from anyone not involved with the testing, and the drones must be in view of the pilot or test partner.

• In February, the FAA released rules that essentially bar the use of drones as envisioned by Amazon for its “Prime Air” program. 

Dive Insight:

The FAA appears to have relented in the face of intense pressure from companies interested in commercial drone use. It’s been a contentious issue, and so far the agency has taken a conservative tack. The approval process has been slow, although Thursday’s development was a sign of progress for the future of commercial drone use—of sorts, anyway.

The approval doesn’t come close to sanctioning commercial drone use along the lines of Amazon Prime Air. But, in characteristic fashion for the e-commerce giant, it doesn’t look like Amazon has given up.