Drones towing aerial ads expected on Miami's beaches

Drones towing aerial advertisements will soon begin flying over Miami's beaches, competing for airspace with traditional banner planes.

Why it matters: Miami-based Sustainable Skylines says its hybrid-electric drones are quieter, safer and more eco-friendly than gas-powered planes.

• They will also fly lower to bring ads closer to the public, though founder and CEO Jacob Stonecipher says it shouldn't bother beachgoers.

Driving the news: The company is the first drone-based banner hauler to be approved by the Federal Aviation Administration, he tells Axios.

• He is aiming to launch the drone service in mid- to late July along Miami Beach.
• The company is in talks with local officials and the FAA to find a site where the drones can take off and land, he says.

What they're saying: Stonecipher, who moved to Miami from New York after working in venture capital research, says he wants to "displace antique planes with sustainable solutions."

• The industry relies on "hazardous" techniques to attach banners to aircraft with grappling hooks , he says, whereas his drones take off vertically.
• Sustainable Skylines says on its website it will track "real-time impressions," compile cellular datasets and use AI to "process drone footage" to measure audience size.

The lower flight paths — about 400 feet up compared to 500 feet for banner planes — are a "marginal difference," he says.

• "I think it's going to be similar as to where we're flying, it's just going to be more readable."
• He acknowledges there may be some pushback from the public, but says he created the company for the "right reasons" — such as protecting the environment and reducing noise pollution.

How it works: Each drone will be operated by a pilot from a mobile command vehicle parked nearby with the help of two visual observers and a safety officer.

• The pilot must have a visual line of sight to the drone along its four-mile loop.
• The drones, which are about 5.5 feet in diameter and weigh just under 100 pounds, will be towing 800-square-foot banner ads.
• To start, the company will use two drones in Miami Beach, but may add more.

What's next: The company plans to expand to Fort Lauderdale and Tampa by the end of the year, Stonecipher says.

• "We hope to scale this across Florida."