TL; DR
- Wing has launched an OpenSky app that aims to make flying drones easier in the United States.
- You can find out where to fly and request a permit if necessary.
- The app is free for Android and iOS users.
You now need a license in the US to fly drones, but that doesn’t mean turning your robotic flier is a headache. Drone life and The edge report that Google’s (actually Alphabets) drone delivery company Wing has released an OpenSky app for Android and iOS to make legal flights so much easier.
Whether you are a recreational or commercial drone pilot, the OpenSky app provides FAA airspace information that shows where you can fly. If you need a permit (usually for commercial flights), you can request the permit in “near real time” and track it until you can take off. You can also plan and log flights.
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The app has been in use for drone flights in Australia since 2019, but has not yet been adapted for the USA.
It may seem strange that Wing is releasing an app that it is unlikely to use. However, the company sees this as mutually beneficial. The more people use the app and their drones fly safely, the better the conditions for Wing’s drone courier operations. Not that you are necessarily going to complain. There are nearly 2 million registered drones in the US and OpenSky could save you from colliding with one of them.