Port Authority Hails Historic Drone Delivery Across Hudson

On Wednesday, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey celebrated the first successful drone delivery flight across the Hudson River. The landmark flight, which began in Jersey City and ended on 65th Street in Brooklyn, demonstrated the potential for drone deliveries in the region.

Nate Bazydlo, Customer Success Manager of Syracuse-based NUAIR, described the flight’s trajectory, “It’s an immediate ascent to 150 feet…and then through a series of five waypoints, it’s going to begin its cross of the Hudson at a rate of about eight meters per second.”

The drone completed its round trip to New Jersey within ten minutes.

Controlled by software on a laptop, the drone uses 4G to maintain communication with its ground station, according to Saleh Kojak of the Port Authority Emergency Management Strategic Preparedness Unit. The cargo for this test flight consisted of Raspberry Rally Girl Scout Cookies, but the successful delivery opens up possibilities for…