As food delivery drones take off in Ireland, here are the most popular items
12 hours ago
- #drone-delivery
- #food-tech
- #urban-noise
- An Irish start-up, Manna Aero, is planning the UK's first food drone delivery pilot scheme in 2026, pending regulatory approval.
- Manna Aero has conducted over 200,000 food delivery flights in west Dublin, Finland, and Texas using 23kg quadcopters.
- The drones operate at 262ft, delivering items like burgers, chips, fresh meat, and eggs, with coffee being the most popular order.
- Deliveries are made by dropping packages on a biodegradable string, checked by a human operator via a downward-facing camera.
- Residents in west Dublin complain about the noise from drones, comparing it to helicopters and finding it stressful.
- Manna Aero claims their drones are quieter than urban background noise and are investing in new technology to reduce noise further.
- The Irish government has introduced a drone policy framework, but critics say regulations and legislation are lacking.
- Manna Aero sees the UK as a key market and is in talks with British regulators to launch services there by 2026.
- Amazon is among six companies selected by the UK Civil Aviation Authority for drone delivery trials.