Beer-delivery drone grounded by FAA

[hootinholler]

Not The Onion:

It's a bird! It's a plane! It's a case of beer!

(CNN) -- Ice fishers in Minnesota are reeling from a recent FAA decision prohibiting beer delivery by drone.

Local brewery Lakemaid was testing a new drone delivery system to airlift frosty cases of beer to fishermen holed up in ice shacks on Mille Lacs Lake. After spotting a Lakemaid YouTube video that went up last week of one of the unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) on a test run, the Federal Aviation Administration contacted Lakemaid and told the company to stop.

Unfortunately for Lakemaid fans and anyone else dreading a walk to the corner store, it's currently against the law to fly drones for commercial purposes or above 400 feet in the United States. The FAA is working on a comprehensive set of rules and regulations that will pave the way for commercial drone flight, but the legislation won't be ready until at least 2015 and drones might not be in the skies until 2017.

...

Only amateurs are allowed to fly drones at this time, and they're limited to small vehicles under 55 pounds. They can only operate the aircraft for fun, not for profit, and they must adhere to local and federal laws. For example, drones are not allowed to cruise over populated areas.

Don't know why they would be reeling.

[Gormy Cuss]

1. Someone made a funny.

Delivering beer to ice shacks sounds like a perfect use for drones.

[riqster]

2. Reeling. Fishing pun.

Rods and....

[mn9driver]

3. Publicity stunt.

Drones of that size and configuration can carry about 4 or 5 pounds. Even a six pack would probably be more than it could handle. The batteries are only good for 15 minutes or so; less if it's at max payload.

Fun idea though.

[democratisphere]

4. Looking forward to the cabernet sauvignon and merlot drones.

Soon Drones of all kinds will fill the skies and blackout the sun.

[jazzimov]

5. "It's a NSA drone!" *blam* *blam*

Beer is one option, but imagine if it were delivering medical supplies. Seriously, not only could drones actually find stranded people, it could supply them with needed supplies to keep them alive until they could be rescued. Even if they just need a drink.

But rednecks can shoot them down with their shotguns.

WTF?