Post could soon be delivered to Unst by drone

This Royal Mail twin-engine drone could be set to carry mail from Tingwall Airport to Unst, a 50-mile flight each way.

Parcels and letters could soon be delivered from Tingwall to Unst by a drone under plans being rolled out by Royal Mail.

The company yesterday announced it will look to establish a partnership focused on setting up over 50 new drone routes over the next three years, subject to approval from the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).

The Isles of Scilly, Shetland, Orkney and the Hebrides would be the first to benefit from the project.

Longer term, the ambition is to deploy a fleet of more than 500 Royal Mail-Windracers drones supporting deliveries across the UK.

Royal Mail conducted a trial in Shetland last month in which it tested flights from Tingwall Airport to Unst, a 50-mile flight each way.

The company has already conducted four drone trials over the last 18 months, including flights on the Isle of Mull in Scotland, on the Isles of Scilly off the Cornish coast and between Kirkwall and North Ronaldsay, on the Orkney Islands.

With a capability to fly in difficult weather conditions, the twin-engine UAV used in the trial has a wingspan of 10 metres and incorporates a high-reliability autopilot system.

They can carry up to 100kg of mail of all shapes and sizes for two daily return flights between the islands.

Letters and parcels are then delivered by the local postie.