Royal Mail to extend use of drones for deliveries

Royal Mail says it plans to extend its use of drones for deliveries by creating 50 new “postal drone routes” over the following three years.

Its partnership with logistics drone firm Windracers will present “quicker and extra handy providers for distant communities”, Royal Mail mentioned.

The routes are nonetheless topic to Civil Aviation Authority approval, however the drones will assist to scale back Royal Mail’s carbon emissions and enhance the reliability of island mail providers.

Royal Mail at the moment makes use of ferries, planes and land-based supply which might all be affected by unhealthy climate.

The primary routes for the brand new service embody the Isles of Scilly, Shetland Islands, Orkney Islands and the Hebrides.

Royal Mail mentioned it was aiming to make use of as much as 200 drones over the following three years, rising to greater than 500, servicing all corners of the UK.

The service has performed 4 drone trials over the previous 18 months, together with flights on the Isle of Mull in Scotland, the Isles of Scilly off the Cornish coast and between Kirkwall and North Ronaldsay on the Orkney Islands.

Drones used within the trial can carry as much as 100kg of mail for 2 each day return flights between the islands, with letters and parcels then delivered by the native postman or lady.

Simon Thompson, chief government of Royal Mail, mentioned: “On-time supply no matter our clients’ location or the climate, while defending the environment, is our aim.

“Though we go in all places, Royal Mail already has the bottom CO2 emissions per parcel delivered. This initiative will assist scale back our emissions even additional.”

Stephen Wright, chairman of the Windracers Group, mentioned: “The center mile of provide and logistics, particularly to distant areas, has lengthy been neglected by the trade and is ripe for innovation.

“We have spent the final 5 years centered on growing probably the most commercially viable important logistics drones so we’re really delighted to be working with Royal Mail on this formidable and pioneering deployment of autonomous plane.”

Further reporting by PA