Royal Mail trialling post by drone in Argyll and Bute

The drone flights are running between the isles of Islay and Jura until 26 July, with postal workers loading and unloading mail on both sides for the first time.

The multirotor drone, which can carry payloads of up to 6kg, is the same one used in Royal Mail’s previous trial in Orkney. It is transporting mail that is usually taken via ferry in a Royal Mail van.

In a statement, Chris Paxton, Royal Mail’s Head of Drones, said: “This drone trial…is the latest step in our innovative collaboration with Skyports. Trialling drones allows us to test out new ways of working to support our posties in delivering to the most remote areas of the UK. As parcel volumes increase, we are continually looking for new ways to provide a reliable, fast and lower emission service to all our customers no matter where they live.”

This is the sixth time that Royal Mail has trialled drones and the second using Extended Visual Line of Sight (EVLOS) flying, which allows drones to travel further than the standard Visual Line of Sight by making use of trained human observers along its route. These observers keep the pilot, who is flying the drone remotely, updated on critical information to ensure the drone maintains a safe distance from other air users, structures and any hazards.