An attempt to deliver mail between Islay and Jura in the Inner Hebrides

Royal Mail has launched its latest attempt to deliver mail by drone between the remote islands of Islay and Jura in the Inner Hebrides.

The trial, which runs until July 26, will see postal workers loading and unloading mail on both sides for the first time.

The multi-rotor drone, which can carry a payload of up to 6kg, is the same as Royal Mail’s previous test in Orkney. It will carry mail that is normally ferried in a Royal Mail van.

It is the sixth time Royal Mail has trialled drones and the second time using ‘Extended Visual Line of Sight (EVLOS)’ flying, which allows drones to travel further than standard ‘Visual Line of Sight’ using trained observers along their path. route.

Observers keep the remote drone pilot informed of critical information to ensure the drone maintains a safe distance from other air users, structures and any hazards.

Chris Paxton, Royal Mail’s Head of Drones, said: “This drone trial – Royal Mail’s sixth – is the latest step in our innovative collaboration with Skyports. Trial drones allow us to test new ways of working to support our posts delivering to the most remote areas of the UK.

“With parcel volumes growing, we are constantly looking for new ways to provide a reliable, fast and low-emission service to all our customers, no matter where they live.”

The trial runs in partnership with drone specialists Skyports and Argyll and Bute Council to operate a range of essential services in Islay and Jura, including Royal Mail deliveries.

Argyll and Bute Council supports organizations such as Royal Mail to provide critical services in the area.

Councilor Jim Lynch, Leader of Argyll and Bute Council, said: “We work hard to make good things happen in Argyll and Bute and these innovative trials could transform the way vital services are delivered to people in our most remote communities.

“Not just councils, but other local authorities, businesses, organizations and emergency services across the UK – there is huge value in partnership helping to deliver benefits for the people of Argyll and Bute.

“Furthermore, by creating a permanent UAV Hub at Oban Airport, we will be investing in future industries. We will create new, greener jobs and boost the local economy, while continuing to reduce carbon emissions both now and in the future to create a climate friendly Argyll and Bute. This is a very exciting time for everyone involved.”

In 2020, Royal Mail became the first parcel carrier in the UK to use a drone to deliver a package. The company worked with a consortium of drone companies, including Skyports, to deliver to a remote lighthouse on the Isle of Mull by drone.

Royal Mail and its partners achieved two more ‘firsts’ in 2021, becoming the first UK parcel carrier to deliver mail to a British island via autonomous drone flight beyond line of sight, and trialled the UK’s first inter-island drone flights with a smaller vertical take-off drone and landing.

Sir Patrick Vallance, Minister of State for Science, said: “New thinking and new regulatory approaches will give confidence to investors, researchers and consumers alike. We want to encourage businesses to choose the UK as the best destination to develop their new ideas and bring great technology to market.

“Our funding for these 15 ground-breaking projects – from drone deliveries to remote communities to the use of artificial intelligence in healthcare – will give UK regulators and local authorities the support they need to accelerate innovation and turn it into success in every corner of the country. With our help, innovators working on these projects can experiment with technologies that will transform vital public services.”