Deliveries by drone – time to get our heads round it

The project has already proved its worth and is now set for the next stage.

It’s surely indicative of things to come, but businesses and organisations across the Highlands and Islands are being urged to give serious consideration as to how cargo delivery by special drone can assist in their activities.

A special research project has been taking place in Orkney over the last two years in which unmanned aircraft have been used to deliver the mail to remote islands.

The next stage of the project will see that being extended to deliveries to Shetland and the intention is also to run a flight over to Bergen in Norway, which if successful would bring widespread deployment of the technology a significant step closer.

The project is being undertaken in collaboration with the Highlands and Islands Transport Partnership who have launched a survey asking the public how a new age in delivering small freight can be of assistance.

Sustainable Aviation Test Environment officer Rebecca Wallace said they were “looking to gather data on how to best support those living in the Scottish islands through new drone technology”. She added: “The survey will assist in identifying potential end users of the emerging technologies across the Highlands and Islands and in gathering an understanding of their transport needs that will be matched with new technology.”