The remote islands of Orkney off the north coast of Scotland are home to some 20,000 people, dozens of historic landmarks, and a wide variety of birds, including puffins, geese, plovers, and swans. Transporting needed goods to the islands’ inhabitants without disrupting the area’s bird population has been a challenge for delivery operations, but Southampton, England-based Windracers has found a way.
The company recently ran a trial drone delivery program in Orkney, using its Windracers ULTRA twin-engine fixed-wing UAV to fly between the islands of Eday, Westray and North Ronaldsay. In conjunction with the delivery trial, ornithologist Dr. Roy Armstrong and ecologist Caitlin Henderson conducted a study of seabird colonies on the islands. Their research found no signs of disturbance as a result of recent drone flights.
Stephen Krajewski, Marketing Director at Windracers, told Commercial UAV News that Dr. Armstrong’s observation that “no species were disturbed by the drone flights is consistent with other observations of drone/bird interactions.” Moreover, he asserted, the research team “also pointed out the noise levels produced by Windracers ULTRA are very low compared with commercial or military aircraft and would not be expected to produce an adverse impact.”
The survey is important, Krajewski said, because, “while there is a great deal of enthusiasm and support for an air cargo delivery service in Orkney, residents understandably have concerns over the impact of drones on their internationally important colonies of seabirds.” Also, he stated, “any disturbance of protected birds could be considered an offence and must therefore be avoided.”
Krajewski said that the seabird study could pave the way for regular drone deliveries in Orkney. “The finding that seabird colonies are unaffected by Windracers ULTRA will be of considerable reassurance to the community of Orkney and brings us a step closer to establishing a permanent air cargo delivery service using ULTRA for those living and working on the remote islands,” he stated.
His company, he said, “is committed to establishing a permanent air cargo delivery service in Orkney using Windracers ULTRA,” and is “working closely with all the relevant parties to make this happen.”
At present, the company is in the planning process to run further flight trials, as well as flying autonomously BVLOS within temporary danger areas (TDAs) for extended periods. In addition, Krajewski said, the company is in discussions to fly in non-segregated operations with the set-up of Transponder Mandatory Zones (TMZs). There are also plans to expand beyond Scotland.
“We're also looking to bring drone deliveries to remote communities in other parts of the world, some of which will undoubtedly have sensitive local environments with protected animals and birds,” said Krajewski. “So, the implications of this bird survey are certainly significant for ULTRA operations in other parts of the world.”
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