Latest news with #droneDelivery
Wall Street Journal
2 days ago
- Business
- Wall Street Journal
The Future of Weather Forecasting Is Hyperlocal
On a sunny spring afternoon in Virginia Beach, Va., I'm waiting on a package delivery from a big-box retailer. But today, I'm not looking for a truck or the neighborhood postal carrier; I'm watching the sky. I see a small dark dot in the distance, and as it nears the object reveals itself clearly as a quadcopter-style drone. While it hovers nearby, a small box detaches from underneath and is lowered on a thin tether until it touches the ground, with surprising gentleness. The box sports an orange-and-white logo for DroneUp, the startup that's sending these packages flying through the air. The technology behind drone delivery has advanced significantly in just a few years, but its future depends in large part on using weather intelligence to ensure safe and efficient flights. Every flight takes off at the whims of the weather, particularly the winds. Gusting air can affect a drone's stability. Strong headwinds force it to perform the aerial equivalent of swimming upstream, depleting its batteries at a faster clip.
BreakingNews.ie
3 days ago
- Business
- BreakingNews.ie
Manna Air Delivery facing local opposition after lodging plans for new hub in Dundrum
Drone delivery service, Manna Air Delivery, has lodged contentious plans to establish a new aerial food delivery hub for Dundrum in Dublin 14. Manna Drones Ltd has lodged the plans with Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council for the aerial delivery hub on lands at an existing car park site to the rear of Main Street and the rear of Holy Cross Church in Dundrum. Advertisement However, the plan is already encountering local opposition with one objector, Olive Donnelly, telling the council 'Drone use in residential areas poses serious risks. In Dublin 15, Manna Drones has already caused widespread disruption: persistent noise, low-altitude flights over homes and schools and repeated residents' complaint… these impacts are real, ongoing, and unacceptable'. This claim was contradicted by Manna Air Delivery on Wednesday with a spokesman stating 'in Dublin 15 we have received a warm welcome. We have received a total 77 complaints out of servicing an area of 150,000 people in over a year.' In the Dáil last week, opposition TDs warned of the growing noise disturbance by food delivery drones in Dublin, with Social Democrats TD Garry Gannon warning of a 'dystopian future' of drone activity. The application is Manna Drones Ltd's first such application for the Dún Laoghaire Rathdown Co Council area and in a planning report lodged with the plans, Downey Chartered Town Planners state that the proposal 'represents an appropriately informed and correct approach to the much-needed service at this location on a currently underutilised area of the existing car park site'. Advertisement The report states that Manna Drones is seeking to enhance and improve delivery services within the Dundrum area, and the benefits of enabling drone delivery from such a location include faster delivery, efficiency, cost savings, reduced environmental impact, increased accessibility and improved customer experience. Downey Chartered Town Planners state that the development has 'been scaled in a manner where any existing amenities of the area are not adversely affected in any way, nor any degradation of privacy arising from this subject development'. Downey Planning states that 'the proposed development is considered to be a positive contribution to the locality'. The report states that 'in an age where environmental consciousness is paramount, drone operations present a sustainable alternative to traditional delivery methods'. Advertisement The report adds: 'Indeed, electric drones offer a greener and more efficient choice than normal delivery methods, while ensuring delivery in a timely manner without burdening transport networks.' Already, four objections have been lodged against the scheme. In one, Anita Phelan told the council that the sound of the drones is another noise disturbance which will undoubtedly take from the serenity of the space close to Dundrum Church. Ms Phelan said: 'Please take on board people's need for quiet spaces which ultimately affects their quality of life, which surely ranks above quicker delivery service of burgers and lattes and refuse this application." Katherine Butterly and James Ryan live with their two young children at their home, 1.4km from Holy Cross Church car park. Advertisement They have told the council that 'we know that it is likely that the drones will pass over our home. We believe that this will pitch the interests of a few (companies who will profit from this proceeding) over the many thousands of local residents in this built up area who would oppose it'. Mrs Priscilla Lawrence Launois has told the council, 'I live very close to the back of Dundrum church and fear deliveries will pass overhead, causing excessive noise pollution'. A spokesman for Manna Air Delivery said that the company has never flown drones in Dundrum. He said, 'We are not planning to fly imminently in Dundrum." He said: 'In Dundrum planning permission has been applied for as per requirements but we would likely not be flying in the next few months.' He said that most recently, Manna Air Delivery has begun rolling out quieter propellers that reduce cruise-flight noise to 59 dBA—noticeably quieter than typical traffic outside a home, which averages between 70 and 75 dBA.
Irish Times
3 days ago
- Business
- Irish Times
Drone delivery service Manna plans Dundrum hub for food delivery
Drone delivery service Manna Drones has lodged plans with Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council for an aerial food delivery hub in Dundrum . . The proposed site for the hub is on an existing car park to the rear of Holy Cross Church and off the main street. However, the plan is already encountering local opposition, with four objections lodged. In one, objector Olive Donnelly told the council that 'drone use in residential areas poses serious risks. In Dublin 15, Manna has already caused widespread disruption: persistent noise, low-altitude flights over homes and schools and repeated residents' complain ... these impacts are real, ongoing, and unacceptable.' READ MORE [ Deliveroo tests drone deliveries with Manna partnership Opens in new window ] This claim was contradicted by Manna on Wednesday with a spokesman saying that 'in Dublin 15 we have received a warm welcome. We have received a total 77 complaints out of servicing an area of 150,000 people in over a year.' In the Dáil last week, Opposition TDs warned of the growing noise disturbance by food delivery drones in Dublin with Social Democrat TD Garry Gannon warning of a 'dystopian future' of drone activity. [ Irish cities face 'dystopian future' due to drone deliveries, TD warns, as clip of noise is played in Dáil Opens in new window ] The application is Manna's first such application for the Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council area and in a report lodged with the plans, Downey Chartered Town Planners said the proposal 'represents an appropriately informed and correct approach to the much-needed service at this location on a currently underutilised area of the existing car park site'. The report said Manna Drones' proposal had 'been scaled in a manner where any existing amenities of the area are not adversely affected in any way, nor any degradation of privacy arising from this subject development'. In another objection to the proposal, Anita Phelan told the council that the sound of the drones was another noise disturbance which would undoubtedly take from the serenity of the space close to Dundrum church.
Irish Times
13-06-2025
- Business
- Irish Times
The Irish Times view on proliferating drones: don't look up
This week the Dáil was warned of a dystopian future of Irish skies filled with commercial drones. People Before Profit TD Ruth Coppinger played footage of drones hovering noisily over Blanchardstown rooftops, while Social Democrats TD Gary Gannon called for a temporary restriction zone over Glasnevin. Despite the hyperbole, concerns over noise, privacy and safety are valid. At the heart of the growing unease is a company now operating high-frequency drone food deliveries in west Dublin, and reportedly planning to expand to the northern and southern suburbs before rolling out nationwide. With weekly flight volumes already in the thousands, the shift from pilot project to daily reality is well underway. Ireland finds itself at the leading edge of drone delivery in Europe, praised by operators for a regulatory environment that fosters innovation. Drones are being used not just for burgers and burritos, but for medicines and time-sensitive consumer goods. Yet what industry advocates view as forward-thinking policy, critics see as dangerously lax. They argue that existing laws are outpaced by the speed of technological development and ill-equipped to manage the risks. This is acknowledged in the Programme for Government, which commits to integrating drone oversight into the air navigation division of the Irish Aviation Authority. The Taoiseach has conceded new regulations are needed to deal with drones 'flying left, right, centre', suggesting an Oireachtas committee should investigate the matter further. READ MORE While the Government reflects, the drone economy is scaling up fast. Communities in Tallaght, Glasnevin and beyond will soon hear the distinctive buzz overhead if planning applications are successful. The concerns which have been expressed over noise and privacy are legitimate. But others border on the moralistic. The question is not whether drone deliveries will be part of modern life – they already are – but how they are regulated to ensure that innovation serves the public good, rather than intrudes upon it.
Irish Times
12-06-2025
- Business
- Irish Times
The Irish-based company revolutionising rural deliveries with drones and robotic hubs
Etienne Louvet is the founder of Iona, a B2B company developing a high-tech delivery network that combines autonomous systems, robotics and drones to solve the problem of scattered delivery destinations and high-cost last-mile deliveries. Last-mile deliveries are often the most expensive part of any delivery service and a big overhead for logistics companies using conventional transport. Vans make sense for heavier loads taking direct routes. Drones make sense for lighter loads going to awkward or more remote places, and the Iona platform allows companies to integrate drone delivery into their existing fleets, thereby cutting costs, improving efficiency, reducing carbon emissions and gaining easier access to isolated and rural areas. The idea for Iona began to form in Louvet's mind during Covid when he was working on a paper about new delivery methods for autonomous logistics. What pushed him in the direction of drones, however, was seeing his 92-year-old grandmother struggling to get groceries and medication delivered to her home in rural France as the pandemic dragged on. 'Access to delivery is particularly crucial for rural residents and they need to be offered the same delivery price and the same goods as anyone else,' Louvet says. 'With Iona, logistics providers can turn last-mile into the most profitable segment while also expanding their capacity to offer additional services such as just-in-time and emergency deliveries.' READ MORE Louvet set up his company in London in 2021 but relocated to Ireland last year to overcome a number of challenges holding up its development including customs issues caused by Brexit and a desire to be closer to potential EU deeptech VCs, which are thin on the ground. Iona is based in Shannon with a berth at Dogpatch Labs in Dublin. The company employs 14 people. Investment to date is around €5 million, mainly from angel investors, and the company has been designated as a HPSU (high performance start-up) by Enterprise Ireland . Iona will make its money by charging customers a percentage on delivery revenues. Potential customers are logistics/delivery companies such as An Post or DHL and the Iona platform will travel internationally. One of the key features that differentiates Iona within its segment is its drones' ability to carry larger loads over longer distances – specifically, cargo of up to 20kg for distances of 100-200km. The company's patented Sonnet Quad drone (which Louvet says is a lot quieter than the short-hop delivery drones currently causing controversy in Dublin) features a tilt rotor for vertical take-off and landing and forward flight for hyper-efficiency. The unit itself is powered by batteries similar to those found on an e-bike and the highly specialised air frame is made in Galway. Iona's back office set-up comprises a robotics system that works in tandem with a series of strategically placed hubs to facilitate battery swaps and parcel dispatch, and an AI-powered digital infrastructure that underpins interactions with telecoms and fleet management systems, for example. 'We combine all of these elements into a white-label solution that will work for any delivery operator large or small. Indeed, companies can start with just one drone. We offer a very low break-even point per parcel so they can deliver anywhere and to everyone,' says Louvet, who adds that Sonnet Quad is uniquely optimised for rural last-mile logistics with a modular cargo bay and precise flight dynamics features that make it more efficient and adaptable than existing medical drones, suburban multi-copters or heavy-lifter unmanned aerial vehicles. Iona expects to go public with its technology in 2026 and as its drones will operate in Irish airspace they must meet the necessary safety and operational regulations. For this reason the drones are ultimately under the control of Iona as the certified operator. 'Flying autonomously and profitably in unsegregated airspace requires stringent regulatory approval, and our end-to-end platform is built around these requirements, allowing third party logistics operators to operate at scale confidently and cost-effectively,' Louvet says.
