How drones drop coffee and eggs in Irish gardens – and when they might come to the UK | World News

An Irish start-up hopes the UK’s first drone food delivery pilot scheme could be operational by 2026, subject to regulatory approval.

With a fleet of specially designed 23kg quadcopters, Manna Aero has carried out more than 200,000 food delivery flights in the west DublinEspoo in Finland and Texas.

As the company looks to expand, CEO Bobby Healy said the UK “will be our most important market in Europe. It’s by far the biggest shipping market at the moment. We think our product is a great fit for the key UK market, in particular”.

“We are in active dialogue with the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and NATS (National Air Traffic Services), the country’s airspace managers. And we hope to do that next year,” Healy added.

Manna has completed up to 50,000 deliveries in west Dublin’s D15 postcode since the trial began a year and a half ago.

The drone, which is almost completely autonomous, soars above a cruising altitude of 262 feet (80 m), carrying everything from burgers and chips to fresh meat from the local butcher shop.

Coffee was the most popular order, Mr Healy said, but “we were really surprised because we were delivering a lot of fresh eggs. I think people were deliberately trying to test us to see if we could deliver something as smooth as eggs, but it wasn’t a problem”.

Customers should ensure the landing zone – usually the back garden – is free of obstructions.

The food is inspected by a human drone operator using a downward-facing camera, before the food is removed. The packages are lowered onto biodegradable ropes, which are then cut.

“The average flight time is about three minutes. The advantages are that it is quieter, safer, more environmentally friendly and better for business in general than road-based alternatives.”

But not everyone in Dublin’s western suburbs is so enthusiastic about their new service.

Mark Hammond, from Blanchardstown, said the sound made by drones was “very stressful, of course it is. If it’s constant, you can’t relax. It’s happening all over the area, not just me and [wife] Florence, there’s a lot of concern about that.”

As the fourth quadcopter in an hour flew over their backyard, Florence said they “sounded like a helicopter.”

Another resident, Michael Dooley, is part of Drone Action Dublin 15.

He described the noise of drone flights as “very, very annoying. Drones, when flying, have a very pitched, sharp, pulsating, annoying sound. You’ll hear it coming from far away”.

While hovering at its lowest altitude, to release its cargo, Michael said the noise was “intolerable”.

Referring to a study from Trinity College that found relatively low decibel levels, Healy said: “We know from science that noise in cities is much less than typical urban noise. And we continue to invest. We have new technology, as well as propulsion and propellers.

I think perception is important, just like any new technology. We have problems with cars, steam engines, and all disruptive technologies – AI, 5G, you name it. There are natural concerns that must be understood. And I think as time goes by, this will become generally accepted.

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The Drone Action Dublin 15 group debated the methodology of the Trinity College study.

Local TD [member of parliament] Emer Currie said that with concerns about “the new M50 [motorway] in the sky”, it is a balancing act in the region.

“We have to be realistic about this. Yes, this is innovation and things are moving forward. But there are realities of the impact on residential communities that have to be considered. Innovation is important, but so is regulation.”

The Irish government recently implemented a drone policy framework, but critics say actual regulations and legislation are still sorely lacking.

Manna acknowledged that the regulatory environment in the EU is friendlier to drones than in other parts of the world, including the UK and the US.

But if negotiations with UK regulators prove fruitful, the company is determined to bring its services to UK consumers by 2026.

Companies such as Amazon have already started planning drone deliveries in the UK. The company is one of six companies selected by the Civil Aviation Authority to take part in new trials to expand the use of drones.

But Ireland’s regulatory framework is friendlier to drone companies.