Skyports

Skyports Drone Services is a British provider and operator of eVTOL drones for cargo delivery, survey and monitoring.[1] The company became famous for using drones to carry Covid-19 samples and test kits in some parts of Argyll and Bute which has been described as a UK first.[2] It also received UK Government funding for establishing service and training facility at Argyll and Bute Council-owned Oban Airport.[3]

Skyports Drone Services
IndustryDrone delivery
GenreDelivery drone
Founded2018
FounderDuncan Walker & Simon Morrish
Headquarters
London
,
England
Area served
Ireland, Scotland, United States, Singapore
Websiteskyportsdroneservices.com

The company was founded in 2018 by Duncan Walker & Simon Morrish.[4] It is headquartered in London with additional offices located in Singapore, Dubai, Columbia and Japan.[5]

In 2020 Skyports Drone Services was authorised by the Scottish government to carry Covid-19 kits from Mull, Clachan-Seil and Lochgilphead to Lorn and Islands Hospital in Oban.[6] It was jointly funded by the UK Space Agency and the European Space Agency.[7]

The Royal Mail partnered with it to launch a postal service using drones in Scotland.[8] In 2023, they announced a Hub Operator Program for participants in Colombia, UAE, the UK, Kenya, and Korea.[9]

Operations

Certificates

The Irish Aviation Authority (IAA) have issued the light UAS (Unmanned Aircraft Systems) operator certificate (LUC) to Skyports Drone Services and recognised across all 31 EASA member countries.[14] It received Part 107 Waiver to fly UAS BVLOS (Beyond Visual Line Of Sight)[15] and Part 375 Foreign Aircraft Permit in the USA.[16]

In Singapore, it has received Class 1 Activity Permit for UAS Operations and UA Operator Permit (UOP) to fly BVLOS from the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore.[17]

Project

Royal Mail and Skyports Drone Services announced the launch of the Orkney I-Port operation, a drone delivery project established in partnership with Orkney Islands Council Harbour Authority and Loganair.

Royal Mail and Skyports Drone Services have established a daily inter-island mail distribution service between three islands on Orkney. The project will initially operate for three months, with the intent to extend in the future. This is the first UK drone delivery project which can be conducted on a permanent basis under existing regulatory frameworks.[18]

Recently, Skyports Drone Services announced Speedbird Aero as new aircraft partner for the Orkney I-Port operation, a drone delivery project established in partnership with Royal Mail, Orkney Islands Council Harbour Authority and Loganair. Speedbird Aero has been selected as the latest aircraft partner to join Skyports Drone Services’ world-class drone fleet. The Brazilian drone manufacturer will provide its DLV-2 aircraft for Skyports Drone Services’ global delivery and logistics projects, starting with three months of inter-island delivery flights for Royal Mail for the Orkney I-Port project.[19]

References
  1. Alcock, Charles. "Drone Flight Trials in Cornwall Could Build a Template for a Nationwide UK Network". FutureFlight.
  2. "Covid in Scotland: Drones to carry Covid samples". BBC News. 23 February 2021.
  3. "Council welcomes funding lift off for Oban drones project". Argyll and Bute Council. www.argyll-bute.gov.uk. 27 January 2022.
  4. "Progressing toward eVTOL flight demonstrations at 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games". Vertical magazine.
  5. "Air taxi startup Skyports opens Japan office ahead of 2025 launch". UK Tech News. 17 October 2022.
  6. "Drone deliveries soar in rural Scotland during coronavirus outbreak". The Guardian.
  7. "Drones base proposed for Oban Airport". bbc.com.
  8. Crumley, Bruce (12 May 2022). "UK's Royal Mail to deliver post by drone on 50 new routes". DroneDJ.
  9. "Skyports Drone Services Announces Major Hiring Initiative for Global Expansion". UASweekly.com. 16 January 2023.
  10. "Drone Delivery Trials Begin at Scotland's First Drone Port". Avionics International. 6 October 2022.
  11. Gain, Vish (4 October 2021). "Skyports drones to take flight in Ireland after green light from IAA". Silicon Republic.
  12. Dedhia, Zinal (4 April 2022). "Cargo drones and regulations: Giving wings to future of logistics". www.stattimes.com.
  13. Auto, Hermes (20 May 2022). "Jurong Port, Skyports to explore cargo delivery operations by drones | The Straits Times". The Straits Times.
  14. "IAA Aviation Regulator Issues First BVLOS LUC". www.iaa.ie. Irish Aviation Authority.
  15. "Part 107 Waivers Issued" (PDF). faa.gov.
  16. "Foreign Air Carrier Fifth Freedom Charter Applications On Hand During Week Ending June 4, 2021" (PDF). regulations.gov.
  17. "Skyports secures $3.13 million investment from ST Engineering in Singapore". eVTOL Insights. 2 August 2022.
  18. Mullan, Maggie (1 August 2023). "Royal Mail and Skyports Drone Services launch fully electric drone deliveries in Orkney". Skyports Drone Services. Retrieved 4 August 2023.
  19. "Skyports Drone Services' new drone partner makes debut for Royal Mail delivery project". Vertical Mag. Retrieved 4 August 2023.


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