Royal Mail Launches First Drone Delivery Service in the UK

Royal Mail has launched the first batch of drones in Orkney that will help people deliver parcels and letters, especially in times of emergency.

The permanent drone delivery service is also made possible with the help of Skyports Drone Services. With this, expect to see no delays when receiving mail on the coast of Scotland.

Royal Mail Starts First Drone Delivery Service Off Scottish Islands

With imminent weather patterns, it's hard to send a parcel to loved ones because of a big gamble in the risk. With Royal Mail's first drone system, users can achieve a more secure means of delivery towards Orkney and other islands.

According to The Guardian, Royal Mail's head of drone trials Chris Paxton guarantees that the flight will be much "faster and more efficient" this time. Apart from that, he adds that it can also help decrease emissions of carbon.

Royal Mail and Skyports confirmed that the operation will kick off and run for three months. However, they saw this project continue on a permanent basis. This is further supported by the frameworks imposed on Orkney, particularly about the proximity of each island.

In another report by The Next Web, the drone delivery service is foreseen to roll out improved delivery times and service quality to Hoy and Graemsay. These two places are frequently visited by bad weather. Small planes and ferries often struggle to get through them.

"Rural and maritime logistics are contingent on access, weather, and personnel - if one of these factors is compromised, so too is the ability to provide a safe and reliable service," Alex Brown, Director at Skyports Drone Services explains.

Brown adds that Orkney is only one of many destinations that is hard to reach. Other remote areas will benefit from this drone delivery technology.

As for Skyports, the Speedbird Aero DLV-2 will fly across islands. This aircraft can deliver goods from one place to another given that they weigh up to 6kg.

200 Drones Will Travel to 50+ Routes in the Next Three Years

To ramp up the service and reach more remote locations in the UK, Royal Mail shares its plans to roll out the drone delivery service to over 50 routes.

For the next three years, the British postal service and courier firm will aim to launch up to 200 drones for this ambitious flight.

Brown thanked Royal Mail for the opportunity to join the project. He said that the drone delivery service will be useful to UK logistics, per BBC.

In another drone-related report, Tech Times reported that China has announced that it will curb drone exports to other countries.

Per Beijing's spokesperson, the country aims to restrict the exports of the technology to safeguard its national security against other countries including the United States (US).