The Federal Aviation Administration proposed a rule change in August to open the skies to more drone flights beyond the sight of operators, seeking to replace the current cumbersome system of case-by-case authorization for such long-range use.

This theoretically will allow more retailers and restaurants to deliver goods and food by drone. The problem with that is economics. Delivery drones can’t carry much weight and have big obstacles for getting the product on the ground with damaging the drone, the goods or the family pet. Moreover, point-to-point deliveries are expensive. A delivery driver normally can make as many as 200 residential stops a day and drop off multiple packages at one place. Wind, rain and snow can impede drone deliveries. These drawbacks are the reason FedEx Corp. and

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