Apple Confirms It Is Using Drones to Improve Apple Maps, Says It Will Respect Privacy

Apple has confirmed plans to make use of drones or aerial automobiles to assist collect in depth info and improve its much-lambasted Apple Maps service. This growth comes proper after the US Transportation Division on Wednesday announced the approval of drone licensing for 10 companies within the North American nation, together with Apple. Different winners of the contract embody experience companies firm Uber, micro chip maker Intel, supply firm FedEx, and others. Curiously sufficient, tasks for the world's largest non-military drone vendor, DJI, and Amazon had been rejected within the spherical that noticed a complete of 149 bids.

The Cupertino large stated that it has plans to make use of this testing programme as a chance to higher Apple Maps after a number of failures up to now. Aerial photographs are touted, by Apple, as the following hope to avoid wasting a sinking ship for its Google Maps competitor. This growth comes months after a report suggested Apple is actively trying to make use of drones for aerial mapping on Apple Maps. That is clearly a transfer to tackle its ultra-popular competitor - Google Maps.

"Apple is dedicated to defending individuals's privateness, together with processing this knowledge to blur faces and license plates previous to publication," said the tech large to Reuters as a response to queries round utilization of drones for Apple Maps. The corporate additionally acknowledged that it plans to make use of the drone testing programme in North Carolina with a purpose to collect info for enhancing Apple Maps.

US Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao stated that dozens of the unapproved tasks might obtain approval within the coming months topic to sure waivers or compliance to current guidelines. She, additionally, didn't rule out Amazon's venture receiving approval citing a rigorous course of.

Launched final 12 months, the brand new US drone testing initiative places the nation on the map of nations with standardised drone regulation mechanisms, a sector the place US had been lagging for the previous few years.