2023-08-01 16:25:00
DISPATCH — Mail delivered by drones? This is the promise of the British postal group Royal Mail to the Scottish archipelago of Orkney. This Tuesday, August 1, they inaugurate their first distribution service.
As AFP reports, mail and parcels will fly from Stromness, the second city of the archipelago, for the islands of Graemsay and Hoy, located a few kilometers to the south.
“Anything that can help maintain universal service, especially in areas where the islands are hard to reach”, deserves “support”, said Alistair Carmichael, MP for Orkney and Shetlands, offshore archipelagos off the northeast coast of Scotland. The idea is obviously to keep the islands connected, in particular by avoiding the hazards experienced by other means of transport such as the ferry.
According to Royal Mail, the use of drones improves staff safety and reduces greenhouse gas emissions. So much so that one project partner, Skyports Drone Service director Alex Brown, argued that the technology is likely to “revolutionize postal services” in remote areas.
The use of drones is initially planned for three months, but could be extended, according to a statement from the company. Under the current legal framework, no authorization is required.
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