Zipline has been a leader in developing new technologies. This is a segment from a piece I wrote last year for AOPA. (The whole story is here: https://www.aopa.org/news-and-media/all-news/2022/june/09/movers-shakers-electric-aircraft-makers)
Zipline, an established drone manufacturer that has been moving blood and health care products in Ghana, Rwanda, and other countries in Africa, announced it has been secretly testing an acoustic-based aircraft avoidance system for more than six months on thousands of flights. The Detection and Avoidance (DAA) system, developed after years of research and testing of various aircraft noise signatures, can detect an aircraft—by make and model—within a two-mile radius of one of its drones, allowing the drone to maneuver to avoid a conflict. “DAA is the linchpin of scaling instant delivery in the United States and globally,” said Keller Rinaudo, founder and CEO of Zipline. “We envision a future in which this system becomes the industry standard for all commercial autonomous aircraft to fly safely.” The hardware has already been built into Zipline’s drones and is ready to be activated for use in many regions upon regulatory approval.
Rinaudo said Zipline’s drones have been operating in all sorts of weather, including thunderstorms, dust, and snow. In addition to Africa, the compnay has been operating near Bentonville and will soon have 28,000 stock-keeping units in its system from Walmart and will be expanding its delivery options.