FedEx Express, a subsidiary of FedEx Corp and the world’s largest express transportation company, has collaborated with Future Mobility Campus Ireland (FMCI) Air to trial last-mile drone delivery of goods between Shannon Airport, County Clare and Foynes Port, County Limerick, Ireland’s second-largest port operator and largest bulk port company.
Conducted by Skyports, on behalf of the FCMI Air consortium which also includes Avtrain, Shannon Group and FCMI, the delivery of the first FedEx Express package in Ireland via drone demonstrates the benefits of drone delivery for last-mile service. The trials will last a month and will see a number of test flights conducted in the Mid-West region, beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) between Shannon Airport and Foynes Port. Deliveries are anticipated to be made in less than 13 minutes.
“We are always looking for new and innovative ways to deliver the world to our customers’ doorsteps and I’m delighted that this drone delivery trial is underway and an example of how we, as an industry, continue to explore new technology to help meet our customers’ evolving delivery needs,” said Mike Roche, Operations Managing Director, FedEx Express Ireland.
Meanwhile speaking on behalf of the FMCI Air Consortium, Julie Garland explained that the testing of the incorporation of BVLOS drone freight deliveries into global supply chain logistics is the future. “The location of this trial from the FMCI base adjacent to Shannon Airport, in controlled airspace, with full air traffic control services demonstrates the integration of manned aircraft operations with simultaneous vertiport drone operations becoming the norm and paving the way for Advanced Air Mobility.”
