Tech

Google just registered two new delivery drones to test in the US

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Google's Project Wing has continued to work towards creating an effective delivery drone, according to FAA documents first spotted by Engadget.

The company registered two new drone models — dubbed the M2 and B3 — for testing in Colorado, the first evidence of innovation since Google X boss Astro Teller announced in March that its original design was too hard to control. 

The original prototype took off vertically and then shifted to a horizontal position for flight, but it's unclear from the FAA documents how these new drones work. 

The Guardian reported in August that Google had been side-stepping FAA regulation by flying over private land as part of a deal with NASA, but these new registrations indicate it's ready to play by the books.   

Google envisions its delivery drones being able to transport packages more quickly than regular methods, while cutting down on pollution. 

Also worth noting: although the registration were made by Google Inc., cofounder Larry Page made it clear the company's drone efforts will now be part of Google's parent company, Alphabet.

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Jillian was most recently an enterprise technology editor based in San Francisco.  She started at Insider as an intern on the technology desk in 2013 and rose to a senior reporter position, covering Alphabet, Facebook, and ecommerce. After three years at the site, she left to spend time freelance writing abroad, before taking reporting positions at CNBC and then at Forbes, where she covered Alphabet, Silicon Valley culture, and artificial intelligence. She returned to Insider in March 2020 and worked on the enterprise technology desk until August 2021.  Jillian graduated from Syracuse University's S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications with a degree in magazine journalism and information management and technology.