http://www.foxnews.com/leisure/2014/01/ ... 769042349/

The Federal Aviation Administration has put the brakes on a brewery's plan to deliver cases of beer to ice fishers on lakes in Minnesota and Wisconsin.

Wisconsin-based Lakemaid Beers, inspired by Amazon's announcement that it was planning on using drones to deliver packages, recently adopted its own version of a delivery drone, the Lakemaid Beer Drone, which has been tested on several frozen lakes.

The company recently posted a video on YouTube that shows a shop keeper getting a call for a delivery, writing down co-ordinates and strapping a case of beer to a drone. The drone then delivers the beer to ice-fishermen on a nearby lake.

“It’s the perfect proving ground for drone delivery,” Lakemaid Beer Company’s president, Jack Supple, said in a release. “Our initial tests on several mid-size lakes have been very successful. We’re looking forward to testing the range of our drones on larger lakes.”

The FAA, which currently restricts the commercial use of small drones, contacted Supple twice this week, informing him that he was in violation of agency regulations, the New York Daily Newsreported.

"I'm on the FAA blacklist for now," he told the newspaper. "They're not too happy with me."

FAA spokeswoman Elizabeth Isham Cory told the Star Tribune the agency is concerned about the "safety of people on the ground and the safety of people in the air."

It may be a long wait for thirsty ice-fishers to get their beer. The FAA is not expected to issue new regulations governing the commercial use of drones until 2015. Plus, the brewery is up against another kind of regulatory battle, verifying the legal drinking age of the ice anglers.

Supple told the Star Tribune the Lakemaid Beer Drone is grounded for now.

“I see what they’re talking about. When you think of all of the people who are going to come up with ways to use these, the regulation of it is going to be important, so they’re learning as fast as we are,” he said.

Sounds like a dream come true!.... Almost

Here's the video of it in action

Empty beer case.

I've got a 12 gage 00 shell with Amazon's name on it for the first drone I see. There's room for more names.

I can't believe that this is viewed as "neat" here of all places. What will you all do when we are talking about when the first LEGITIMATE AIRCRAFT slams into one of these blind "air mines" killing all on board?

I'm not for or against these drones..... I just like beer is all

I like the part where they expect us to believe she's a typical ice fisherman.

Rw2,
I guess you haven't spent any time on the ice up here. This is a clip the news did on a relative and her business. I sure wouldn't call the ladies in the video ugly.

www.minnesota.cbslocal.com/2014/01/19/f ... ozen-lake/

I can't believe a responsible ice fisherman would ever run out of beer in the first place

courierguy wrote:I can't believe a responsible ice fisherman would ever run out of beer in the first place

This.

HEll of a useful load if it could actually carry a full case of beer. Not a big drone fan as I have already lost more than one photo/video job from a real aircraft to these things . As said before just a matter of time until some drone "pilot" flies one into an aircraft full of people. The future is upon us, and I don't like it one bit.. I give drones a big thumbs down.Scary shit.

WWhunter wrote:Rw2,
I guess you haven't spent any time on the ice up here. This is a clip the news did on a relative and her business. I sure wouldn't call the ladies in the video ugly.

http://www.minnesota.cbslocal.com/2014/ ... ozen-lake/

It is true that my experience is northern WI, no MN. Maybe I'll have to increase my data sample.

Av8r3400 wrote:I've got a 12 gage 00 shell with Amazon's name on it for the first drone I see. There's room for more names.

I can't believe that this is viewed as "neat" here of all places. What will you all do when we are talking about when the first LEGITIMATE AIRCRAFT slams into one of these blind "air mines" killing all on board?

Ya looks like a real VFR day with alot of traffic buzzing the maidens at the lake Somebody's gonna get hurt

Kind of sets a precedent doesn't it?

FAA spokeswoman Elizabeth Isham Cory told the Star Tribune the agency is concerned about the "safety of people on the ground and the safety of people in the air."

If that is the concern than maybe the FAA should reconsider any domestic drones.

Let me rephrase a bit. Running some beers out to the shacks from the lakeside brewery is a beautiful thing.Why Would you even ask the FAA?Flying those things IN the trees is one thing or in zones where others are not.. They stop being toys when they become part of the system.

Av8r3400 wrote:I've got a 12 gage 00 shell with Amazon's name on it for the first drone I see. There's room for more names.

I can't believe that this is viewed as "neat" here of all places. What will you all do when we are talking about when the first LEGITIMATE AIRCRAFT slams into one of these blind "air mines" killing all on board?

My sentiments exactly!

The useful load on these things is really impressive. They can apparently lift any company into the national spotlight.

Would tat be a part 91 commercial operation requiring a commercial rating

More great marketing...hahaha.

Flies pretty well with an empty box, but like Oregon 180 said, immensely powerful for lifting a brand into the national spotlight.

Gave up duck hunting because I could not stand to eat the things. Since Dominos pizza announced it was considering drone delivery it got my interest. Now imagine sitting on the back stoop shooting pizza and beer out of the sky. Guess I better head down to the gun club and get practiced up. Cant rely on my lab to retrieve the pizza though.

Coyote wrote:Gave up duck hunting because I could not stand to eat the things. Since Dominos pizza announced it was considering drone delivery it got my interest. Now imagine sitting on the back stoop shooting pizza and beer out of the sky. Guess I better head down to the gun club and get practiced up. Cant rely on my lab to retrieve the pizza though.

That's funny. I'm right there with you.