FedEx subsidiary FedEx Express reports completion of its first scheduled drone last-mile delivery flight in Ireland in a partnership with Future Mobility Campus Ireland (FMCI) Air. The delivery launches a trial service delivering goods from FMCI, based at Shannon Airport, County Clare, to Foynes Port, County Limerick, Ireland’s second-largest port operator and largest bulk port company.
The deliveries were conducted by drone operator Skyports on behalf of the FMCI Air consortium which also includes Avtrain, Shannon Group and FMCI.
The delivery of the first FedEx Express package in Ireland via drone demonstrates the benefits of drone delivery for last-mile service and the commitment by FedEx to exploring the latest innovations in last-mile delivery.
The delivery is part of a month-long trial which will see a number of test flights conducted in the Mid-West region, beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) between Shannon Airport and Foynes Port, with deliveries anticipated to be made in under 13 minutes. Clare County and Limerick City and County Council have shown their support for the project, highlighting the role that the councils are playing and leading from an innovation perspective.
Julie Garland on behalf of the FMCI Air Consortium, said: “The location of this trial from the FMCI base adjacent to Shannon Airport, in controlled airspace, will full air traffic control services demonstrates the integration of manned aircraft operations with simultaneous vertiport drone operations becoming the norm and paving the way for Advanced Air Mobility.”
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