Alphabet’s drone spinoff has been cleared to launch deliveries in the US

What’s happened: Wing has received Air Carrier Certification from the US Federal Aviation Administration. That means it can begin a commercial service delivering goods from local businesses to homes.

Testing: Wing launched (a very small-scale) version of this exact service in Australia at the start of the month. Now that it’s been cleared by the FAA, it plans to launch a delivery service in the US later this year, starting in two areas in Virginia: Blacksburg and Christiansburg. It’s been doing tests in these locations in recent months.

Is this really a first? Eagle-eyed readers may be confused about competing claims, given that UPS launched a medical sample delivery service at a hospital site in March. The difference with Wing’s service is that it will be larger-scale, and consumer-facing.