Drones are here to stay

 

The Royal Mail wants a fleet of 500 drones to help deliver the mail to remote communities across the UK including 200 drones to help carry the mail on 50 new routes with the Isles of Scilly, Shetland Islands, and the Hebrides within the next three years. The new services will of course need the Civil Aviation Authority’s approval and also depend on improvements in Unmanned Aerial Vehicle economics.

The drones delivered mail between Tingwall Airport in Lerwick to Unst located most northerly inhabited island– a 41-mile flight each way.

Large Drones powered by two internal combustion engines, 10m ( 32.8ft) wingtip to wingtip with a range of  621 miles (1, 000 km) can carry up to 220 lb ( 100kg).

 

Chris Paxon, head of drone trials at Royal Mail said, “ Drones offer a chance to reduce carbon emissions produce 30 per cent fewer emissions, according to Drone-makers Windracers Royal Mail’s partner on the new routes.