Now that’s air mail!
Royal Mail trials new low-carbon drone deliveries to remote island
THEY diligently complete their daily rounds in all weather.
But the way traditional posties process letters and packages will soon be revolutionised by drones.
The technology is being used by Royal Mail to deliver post and medical supplies to North Ronaldsay in the Orkney Islands as part of a two-week trial.
The aim is to improve services to remote areas while reducing carbon emissions.
The trial, in collaboration with not-forprofit organisation Windracers, will see mail flown between Kirkwall and North Ronaldsay by a twin-engine UK-built unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) called Ultra. Each flight can carry 220lbs of post of all shapes and sizes – equivalent to a typical delivery round.
The drone will operate on weekdays until October 15. It will transport letters and parcels to the island, which posties will then deliver in the usual way.
North Ronaldsay is home to around 70 people and located further north than the southern tip of Norway.
The drone can take off automatically and navigates via programmed waypoints. It can also land automatically, but present CAA regulations require manual landings by a trained safety pilot.
It will take off from Kirkwall Airport and fly 35 miles before landing at a ‘utilised North Ronaldsay airstrip’. Royal Mail or airport staff will then unload the post with help of Windracers staff. Meanwhile, the drone will return to Kirkwall to begin the process again.
The trial is funded by the quango UK Research and Innovation via a special Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund.
Nick Landon, chief commercial officer at Royal Mail, said: ‘We care about delivering a brilliant service for all of our customers, wherever they live in the UK.
‘We are also incredibly passionate about protecting our diverse and beautiful environments.
‘This trial is designed to help with both of these goals, using the most innovative technologies to support the remote communities we serve in the greenest way possible.’
If the trial is successful, Royal Mail will consider drone usage for remote areas across the UK.
UAVs are uncrewed and are not affected by poor weather conditions. Sarah Moore, postwoman for
HERE in Britain it seems many have given up on social distancing. Certainly the police found it tricky to enforce.
But in Singapore the authorities have rolled out robots to make sure its citizens don’t get too close to one another. The machines – which have been likened to something out of movie Robocop – are designed to blast out warnings about all sorts of ‘undesirable social behaviour’.
During a test patrol, one of the Xavier robots, pictured, stopped in front of a group of elderly residents watching a chess match.
The Government said the robots were not used to identify offenders.
North Ronaldsay, said: ‘It’s really exciting to be involved in this trial.
‘North Ronaldsay is a very remote area and I’m proud to be involved in an initiative that will help Royal Mail to do all we can to keep all areas of the UK connected.’
This is the third drone trial Royal Mail has run in the past year.