Windracers Mail Delivery

With its partner Windracers Ltd., Royal Mail has become the first UK parcel carrier to deliver mail to a UK island in a 70-mile, beyond-line-of-sight, autonomous flight to the Scilly Isles. Tasked to better connect the islands’ remote communities, a consortium including Royal Mail, Windracers Ltd., DronePrep, University of Southampton, Excalibur Healthcare Services, and Consortiq Limited is funded by UK Research and Innovation.

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The large, twin-engine, UK-built UAV from Windracers can fly in poor weather conditions, including fog, potentially enabling Royal Mail to better serve remote island communities. It can carry roughly 220 pounds worth of mail, equivalent to a typical delivery round. A smaller Windracers Ltd. Vertical Take-off and Landing (VTOL) drone will then fly parcels between the islands for delivery to recipients. It the trial is successful, Royal Mail will consider expanding the technology across its network, potentially providing opportunities to better support postmen and postwomen in delivering to remote areas and addresses in the UK. The trial wi