Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport became the first U.S. international airfield to let drones fly within its controlled airspace when Atkins and its design-team partners, 3DR and Autodesk, flew a series of seven flights during a four-hour period on the morning of Jan. 10.
The team last year sought permission from the Federal Aviation Administration to use the drones at the world’s busiest airport to support construction of a ground transportation curb, including a canopy, passenger pickup and drive aisles, located between one of the airport’s SkyTrain stations and the site of a proposed hotel. Since FAA regulations prohibit unmanned-aerial-vehicle flights within five miles of airports, special authorization was required because the worksite lies between runways.