A new cargo drone delivery service has started trials to Orkney to assess the benefits for communities in remote locations.
UK drone developer and operator Windracers is running a scheduled delivery service for the next three months using its Ultra drone to move cargo autonomously between the islands of Eday, Westray and North Ronaldsay.
The service will run several times a week and could provide faster, more convenient and more reliable delivery services to residents and businesses on the remote islands, as well as communities in other isolated areas. The launch of the trial coincides with Royal Mail’s separate trials of drones for mail deliveries to the remote isles of Islay and Jura in the Inner Hebrides.
Windracers’ Ultra drone can carry 100kg up to 1,000km (around 620 miles) and is able to take off, fly and land without the need for a remote pilot thanks to its proprietary Masterless autopilot technology. Its systems are dual or triple redundant to ensure it can fly safely in the event of a hardware or software failure.
Windracers’ Ultra drone will operate in segregated airspace, with the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) allowing it to fly autonomously within a number of temporary danger areas (TDAs) for the 90-day period.
Longer-term, the company is looking towards non-segregated operations with the set-up of Transponder Mandatory Zones (TMZs), which would enable the system to see, and be seen by, other air traffic.
Windracers’ trial is part of the Sustainable Aviation Test Environment (SATE) programme and is part-funded by the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) Future Flight Challenge, delivered by Innovate UK and the Economic and Social Research Council.
Windracers is also planning another drone trial later in the year that will operate between Orkney and the islands of Shetland.
Simon Muderack, CEO at Windracers, said: “We are delighted to have secured regulatory approval to operate our low-cost platform in UK airspace for this scheduled service trial. It is testament to our robust technology, processes and training procedures. We have worked extensively with the CAA and we see a clear pathway to operating a full commercial service in Orkney.”
The company expects to complete 2,000km – some 1,200 miles – of autonomous flights over the course of the trial and will integrate its flight schedule with the existing logistics network including Streamline Shipping Group, which handles over 90% of last-mile deliveries to the Scottish islands of Orkney and Shetland.
Will Rodger, service manager at Streamline Shipping Group, said: “As part of our path to net zero, we are running a number of trials including drone-based deliveries, unmanned seafaring vessels and hydrogen HGVs. Drones present an opportunity to make more regular deliveries to and collections of locally produced goods from the island communities we have supported for over 40 years – potentially increasing twice-weekly routes to become daily, which would have a massive impact on residents and businesses.”
