Rural Wales could soon get urgent deliveries via aircraft

Urgent parcels and medical supplies could soon be delivered to isolated areas in Wales by drones to help speed up the process.

Manufacturers have been testing out the technology in Eryri, also known as Snowdonia.

The chief executive of drone company Windracers, Simon Muderack, said they hope to set up a partnership with postal services to be able to “connect to the people most in need”.

The UK government is currently considering allowing drones to deliver goods to rural areas to ensure remote regions are not left behind by advances in transport technology.

The project aims to deliver critical supplies to those who need it, which Windracers say will be just as cost-effective as traditional delivery routes.

Its ULTRA (Uncrewed Low-cost Transport), is a self-flying aircraft designed to carry 100kg packages over 600km (372 miles).

The company’s aircrafts first flew in 2019 to transport medical supplies to the Isle of Wight.

Since then, Windracers have taken post and parcels to remote islands in Orkney and the Shetlands.

A number of its drones can also be spotted flying around the company test centre in Llanbedr, Gwynedd.

Speaking to BBC Radio Wales Breakfast, Mr Muderack said the company hopes to manufacture on a larger scale in future.

“Drones can make such a difference to people’s lives – especially those living in rural areas of Wales,” he said.

“The uses for the platform are infinite. Over time this platform could fly anywhere in the world.”

Windracers has worked with organisations including the Ministry, British Antarctic Survey and Royal Mail.

Research is still in the test phase but they are confident that with more trails, delivery via aviation could really “take off”.

“A key barrier to the plan will be regulating and managing the sky.” said Mr Muderack.

“We want to gather more data, working with a regulator, to see how far we can take this.”

There is increasing interest in aircraft delivery, as the first commercial drone mail service in Orkney was recently extended to 2026 to take letters and parcels between islands.