Drone flies medical supplies to Isles of Scilly

A drone has delivered medical supplies to the Isles of Scilly.

Windracers first successful unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) flight from Cornwall to the Isles of Scilly was completed as part of a response to support the NHS with Covid-19.

A 50kg load of medical supplies was delivered from Land's End to St Mary's NHS in less than 30 minutes.

On Thursday another drone successfully carried supplies from the mainland to the Isles of Scilly for the first time.

Windracers, a UAV company which aims to provide transportation services for humanitarian aid, research and environmental causes, has been funded by Innovate UK to help support the NHS.

Charles Scales, chief executive of Windracers, said he was proud to be part of the "ground-breaking project" taking medical supplies to the islands.

Normally medical supplies are transported by commercial aircraft and by sea between Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly.

During winter the passenger ferry does not operate while the Gry Maritha freight ship runs three times a week.

Councillor Robert Francis, from the Council of the Isles of Scilly, said the drone service had the potential to provide residents with "greater resilience" especially during the winter months and in bad weather.

"It also offers the possibility of speeding up time-sensitive and urgent deliveries," he said.

Windracers has been awarded a £100,000 match funded grant from AeroSpace Cornwall to continue the development of its technology.