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| Coronavirus: Drones to deliver NHS supplies to Isle of Wight | Coronavirus: Drones to deliver NHS supplies to Isle of Wight |
| (2 days later) | |
| Drones will be used to carry medical supplies from Hampshire to the Isle of Wight, the government has announced. | Drones will be used to carry medical supplies from Hampshire to the Isle of Wight, the government has announced. |
| Grant Shapps, secretary of state for transport, said a planned trial of the technology would be brought forward and begin next week. | Grant Shapps, secretary of state for transport, said a planned trial of the technology would be brought forward and begin next week. |
| In March, the government announced funding for drone tests and a new air traffic control system. | In March, the government announced funding for drone tests and a new air traffic control system. |
| But Mr Shapps said there was an "urgent need" for the trial to begin sooner than planned. | But Mr Shapps said there was an "urgent need" for the trial to begin sooner than planned. |
| Ferry crossings to the Isle of Wight are currently reduced due to the spread of coronavirus. | Ferry crossings to the Isle of Wight are currently reduced due to the spread of coronavirus. |
| An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) can make the crossing to the Isle of Wight in about 10 minutes. | An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) can make the crossing to the Isle of Wight in about 10 minutes. |
| The government expects about four flights per day to be made, depending on the needs of the NHS. | The government expects about four flights per day to be made, depending on the needs of the NHS. |
| A spokeswoman told the BBC that the first flights would carry PPE. However, in future the drone could deliver time-critical supplies such as blood and organs. | A spokeswoman told the BBC that the first flights would carry PPE. However, in future the drone could deliver time-critical supplies such as blood and organs. |
| The trial will use a petrol-fuelled Windracers Ultra fixed-wing drone, capable of carrying 100kg for up to 1,000km (621 miles). However, initially the drone will not carry its maximum payload. | The trial will use a petrol-fuelled Windracers Ultra fixed-wing drone, capable of carrying 100kg for up to 1,000km (621 miles). However, initially the drone will not carry its maximum payload. |
| The Department for Transport said the drone would fly autonomously along a fixed route between Lee-on-the-Solent in Hampshire and Binstead on the Isle of Wight. | |
| Two safety pilots - one at each airfield - will oversee each flight. | Two safety pilots - one at each airfield - will oversee each flight. |
| However, the route has not yet been approved by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and the trial cannot start without permission. | However, the route has not yet been approved by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and the trial cannot start without permission. |
| A spokeswoman told the BBC that the flight would take around 10 minutes, significantly reducing delivery times between the Isle of Wight and mainland. | A spokeswoman told the BBC that the flight would take around 10 minutes, significantly reducing delivery times between the Isle of Wight and mainland. |
| After goods have been dropped off at the airfield, they will be delivered to St Mary's hospital on the Isle of Wight by road. | After goods have been dropped off at the airfield, they will be delivered to St Mary's hospital on the Isle of Wight by road. |
| Future plans | Future plans |
| In March, the government gave £28m of funding to Solent Transport to help it create a "future transport zone" and test new ideas. | In March, the government gave £28m of funding to Solent Transport to help it create a "future transport zone" and test new ideas. |
| That funding included more than £8m for the company and the University of Southampton to develop the UK's first unmanned traffic-management system (UTM) to integrate drone flights into normal air traffic control. | That funding included more than £8m for the company and the University of Southampton to develop the UK's first unmanned traffic-management system (UTM) to integrate drone flights into normal air traffic control. |
| The NHS delivery trial will operate without this UTM, but it is still being developed as part of the overall project. | The NHS delivery trial will operate without this UTM, but it is still being developed as part of the overall project. |
| A "temporary danger area" is being set up for 90 days, to separate the drone from other air traffic. | A "temporary danger area" is being set up for 90 days, to separate the drone from other air traffic. |
| "The lack of a traffic-management system does raise questions as to how everything will be planned during delivery," Ravi Vaidyanathan, a robotics lecturer at Imperial College London, told the BBC. | "The lack of a traffic-management system does raise questions as to how everything will be planned during delivery," Ravi Vaidyanathan, a robotics lecturer at Imperial College London, told the BBC. |
| "But I think it does have a lot of potential to help people. | "But I think it does have a lot of potential to help people. |
| "No matter what happens, they will learn a lot from it, which will accelerate the pace of development." | "No matter what happens, they will learn a lot from it, which will accelerate the pace of development." |