What at its launch was hailed as the UK’s first permanent UAV postal delivery operation has been temporarily suspended after a Skyports Drone Services craft encountered a technical glitch, leading an observer to abort a routine mission linking Orkney Islands destinations for the Royal Mail.
The aerial postal service replacing habitual ferry runs between Orkney’s islands was launched in August. Skyports Drone Services operated what began as a three-month trial using DLV-2 Speedbird Aero craft, which are capable of hauling six kilos of payload over a maximum 16-kilometer distance. One of those UAVs wound up in the waters during a mission last week, after a technical mishap led a remote monitor to deploy an onboard parachute as part of a controlled descent.
Though neither Skyports nor Royal Mail posted website information on the incident, UK press outlets that caught wind of it said the UAV had been returning from Graemsay to its base on the nearby island of Hoy when the problem arose. Though the craft was carrying no payload when it was ordered down – and was successfully aborted according to protocols – the partners paused the service pending inquiries.
December 5 update:
The remainder of this article has been amended to include Skyports’ response to DroneDJ inquiries about the incident. Previous sections reproducing reports from other media outlets have been deleted and replaced with input directly from the company.
Given the proliferation of both trials and fully operational drone activities for commercial delivery, surveying, inspection, public service, and medical response organizations around the globe, cases of craft coming down before completing their mission remain remarkably rare.
Yet the very novelty of UAV tech at work overhead understandably attracts considerable media and public attention to those exceptional failures – scrutiny both Skyports and the Royal Post might have been wise to meet pro-actively, especially in light of the safe, successful response to the incident.
But a company spokesman did reply to DroneDJ‘s request for further information about what happened when one of its “postal deliveries experienced an occurrence,” leading to the drone’s loss.
Whilst flying over the sea between Hoy and Graemsay, the aircraft experienced a technical issue, and as a result we initiated a controlled descent using the aircraft’s in-built parachute.
Unfortunately, as the aircraft was flying over the sea at this time, it landed in the water and subsequently sank. We issued an occurrence report to the relevant authorities per standard practice. The aircraft was not carrying any cargo and there was no damage to people or property. In response to the event, we temporarily suspended and are working with the aircraft manufacturer to safely resume our service for the residents of Graemsay and Hoy.
The Skyports spokesman noted “technical issues are a rarity” aboard company drones – as indeed they are during the near totality of professional UAV operations.
The official added the craft’s controlled descent was initiated and proceeded as planned in the event of in-flight mishaps, calling it a “a purpose-built safety mechanism that mitigates potential risk, along with a large number of other technical and operational mitigations.” Even within the context of the outlier flight termination, the spokesman suggested, Skyports maintained the same degree of reliability and effectiveness of its otherwise uneventful aerial work with Royal Post in the Orkney Islands.
Our operations in Orkney have demonstrated a strong and successful track record, with the aircraft having completed hundreds of flights and reliably delivering parcels, packages, and even fish and chips to island residents. These flights have not only showcased the efficiency and effectiveness of our service but have also received overwhelmingly positive feedback from the community.
Skyports has been working with Brazilian drone supplier Speedbird Aero to clarify the original source of problem and prevent it from recurring. “We are dedicated to improving access, connectivity and sustainability with our electric drone services,” the company spokesman said, “and plan to relaunch services within the next week.”
Prior to the pause, Skyports drone flights had cut delivery time of Royal Mail post between the islands from 24-hour ferry rotations to flights prepared and dispatched in as little as one-hour – a gain in time and convenience Orkney residents doubtless miss right about now.
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