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Amazon has been given permission from the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to trial drones beyond a human controller’s line of sight in the UK, paving the way for delivery drones.
Kirkwall airport in the Orkney islands will be one of the projects, testing how drones and other aircraft might operate safely alongside each other.
The trials will gather key safety data, such as how drones detect and avoid other aircraft, the electronic signals they can send to be able to be visible to other airspace users and air traffic control.
Amazon is one of six organisations taking part in the trial with other projects including inspection of offshore wind farms, air traffic control, policing and delivering emergency medical supplies.
However, further permissions will be needed before trials are able to begin.
The online retailer already offers drone deliveries in the US, in Lockeford, California, and College Station, Texas.
Sophie O’Sullivan, director of Future of Flight at the UK CAA , said: “These innovative trials mark a significant step forward in integrating drones safely into UK airspace. By supporting projects ranging from consumer deliveries to critical infrastructure inspections, we are gathering essential data to shape future policies and regulations.
“Our goal is to make drone operations beyond visual line of sight a safe and everyday reality, contributing to the modernisation of UK airspace and the incorporation of new technology into our skies.”
