The daily inter-island service will transport parcels from Royal Mail’s Kirkwall delivery office to Stromness where Skyports will make drone deliveries to Royal Mail staff on the islands of Graemsay and Hoy.
From these locations, postal workers will carry out their usual island delivery routes.
Skyports will use Speedbird Aero DLV-2 aircraft for the service, which is a multirotor drone capable of carrying up to 6kg.
This is the first UK drone delivery service operating on a permanent basis under existing regulatory frameworks.
Orkney’s unique landscape means flights can be conducted using extended visual line of sight (EVLOS) permissions rather than beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) permissions.
The weather and geography can disrupt postal services such as ferry services being paused due to poor weather.
The I-Port operation, the project established in partnership with Orkney Islands Council Harbour Authority and Loganair, will improve service levels and access for rural communities, reducing delivery times.
Chris Paxton, Head of Drone Trials at Royal Mail, says, “We are proud to be working with Skyports to deliver via drone to some of the more remote communities that we serve in the UK. Using a fully electric drone supports Royal Mail’s continued drive to reduce emissions associated with our operations, whilst connecting the island communities we deliver to.”
Alex Brown, Director of Skyports Drone Services, adds, “By leveraging drone technology, we are revolutionising mail services in remote communities, providing more efficient and timely delivery, and helping to reduce the requirement for emissions-producing vehicles. We’re pleased to once again be partnering with Royal Mail to demonstrate how drone operations can benefit UK logistics on this project. The I-Port project also marks an exciting milestone as it is the first operation we are completing with aircraft partner Speedbird.”