FedEx, Alphabet, Uber to fly with US drone program, Amazon's wings clipped

The program was pushed by President Donald Trump's White House as a way to speed approvals of more far-ranging unmanned flight operations

At Memphis International Airport, drones may soon be inspecting planes and delivering airplane parts for FedEx Corp. In Reno, Nevada, they will test airlifting life-saving defibrillators to patients. And customers in Virginia could get goods they ordered from Alphabet Inc.’s flying devices.

A who’s who of technology and aviation companies won U.S. approval Wednesday to push the edge of the envelope in drone flights, from testing people’s tolerance for delivery devices hovering over their rooftops to ensuring farmers’ drones won’t hit crop dusters.

In the most far-reaching test program to date for burgeoning drone commerce, the Department of Transportation announced the selection