亞馬遜將在英國試驗無人機送貨

Amazon will begin testing aerial drones in UK suburbs and rural areas through a partnership with the UK government, the first time the ecommerce company has won permission to operate its vehicles under such flexible conditions.

亞馬遜(Amazon)將通過與英國政府合作，開始在英國郊區和農村地區測試無人機送貨，這是這家電商企業首次獲得批准，可以在如此靈活的條件下操作無人機。

Amazon’s drone programme, known as Prime Air, has been working since 2013 on developing aerial vehicles that can deliver packages directly to customers’ houses. However, the programme has encountered red tape and shifting airspace rules, particularly in the US, and has not launched commercially in any country.

亞馬遜的無人機計劃名爲“Prime Air”，在2013年啓動，致力於開發能夠直接將包裹快遞到客戶家中的空中交通工具。然而，該計劃遭遇了繁瑣的手續以及空域規定的不斷變化，尤其是在美國，迄今還沒有在任何國家投入商業化運營。

The tests in the UK mark a breakthrough for Amazon as it is allowed to fly drones outside pilots’ line of sight, a key step in testing the vehicles’ sensors. Amazon pilots will also be able to fly multiple drones at one time.

英國的測試標誌着亞馬遜的一項突破，亞馬遜無人機被允許在操作員視線範圍以外飛行，這是測試無人機傳感器的關鍵步驟。亞馬遜的無人機操作員還可以同時操作多架無人機。

The UK’s Civil Aviation Authority said it would be involved in the work, and that the tests would help it to craft its future policies.

英國民航局(Civil Aviation Authority)表示，將參與測試，而這些測試將有助於其制定未來政策。

The UK’s current rules forbid drones to be flown outside a pilot’s line of sight, but those rules could be evolving.

英國目前的規定禁止無人機在操作員視線範圍外飛行，但這些規定可能在演變。

“These tests by Amazon help inform our policy and future approach,” said Tim Johnson, CAA policy director. “We want to enable the innovation that arises from the development of drone technology.”

“亞馬遜的這些測試將有助於爲我們的政策和未來方針提供依據，”英國民航局政策總監蒂姆•約翰遜(Tim Johnson)表示，“我們希望爲無人機技術引發的創新創造條件。”

Drones have become contentious in some countries because of concerns over privacy — many high-end drones have cameras — and over security if they were used to deliver drugs or guns.

在一些國家，由於對隱私（很多高級無人機配備攝像頭）以及安全（無人機有可能被用來快遞毒品或槍支）的擔憂，無人機一直備受爭議。

A key focus of Amazon’s research has been the “sense and avoid” technology that allows its drones to perceive obstacles. The drones are typically designed to fly at less than 400 feet and carry packages that weigh less than five pounds.

亞馬遜研究的一個關鍵重點是讓無人機識別障礙物的“感知與規避”技術。無人機的設計飛行高度通常不到400英尺，可攜帶重量不到5磅的包裹。