亚马逊将在英国试验无人机送货

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.

亚马逊(Amazon)将通过与英国政府合作，开始在英国郊区和农村地区测试无人机送货，这是这家电商企业首次获得批准，可以在如此灵活的条件下操作无人机。

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.

亚马逊的无人机计划名为“Prime Air”，在2013年启动，致力于开发能够直接将包裹快递到客户家中的空中交通工具。然而，该计划遭遇了繁琐的手续以及空域规定的不断变化，尤其是在美国，迄今还没有在任何国家投入商业化运营。

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.

英国的测试标志着亚马逊的一项突破，亚马逊无人机被允许在操作员视线范围以外飞行，这是测试无人机传感器的关键步骤。亚马逊的无人机操作员还可以同时操作多架无人机。

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.

英国民航局(Civil Aviation Authority)表示，将参与测试，而这些测试将有助于其制定未来政策。

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

英国目前的规定禁止无人机在操作员视线范围外飞行，但这些规定可能在演变。

“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.”

“亚马逊的这些测试将有助于为我们的政策和未来方针提供依据，”英国民航局政策总监蒂姆•约翰逊(Tim Johnson)表示，“我们希望为无人机技术引发的创新创造条件。”

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.

在一些国家，由于对隐私（很多高级无人机配备摄像头）以及安全（无人机有可能被用来快递毒品或枪支）的担忧，无人机一直备受争议。

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.

亚马逊研究的一个关键重点是让无人机识别障碍物的“感知与规避”技术。无人机的设计飞行高度通常不到400英尺，可携带重量不到5磅的包裹。