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by notahacker 3215 days ago
Other news coverage (e.g http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-37646474) suggests that Zipline has some sort of rudimentary reporting to Rwandan ATC already. Presumably a more complex system could be developed allowing coordination of flightplans, remote takeovers etc.

I think the real problem is regulatory; any such system is only likely to happen if it has the explicit blessing of a regional Air Traffic Management authority, in which case they're probably more likely to develop, fund and run it than a startup, though there will be a place for technology companies that don't mind working with their procurement cycles and living off grant money for a while. A quick Google suggests US authorities are working on it http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-drone-traffic-20170501...

Other drone delivery programs in developing countries have foundered because those countries have refused to give permissions for flights out of security concerns.