Now, in this updated report, we offer an insight into the progress (or otherwise) of the UK drone industry from 2021 to 2024, through the lens of ten exciting organisations. Drone applications range from BVLOS (Beyond Visual Line of Sight) surveillance and inspection, to last-mile delivery, to crop spraying and seeding. Views on whether growth since 2021 has met expectations, and the level of progress against the potential barriers to growth identified in SWL2, are equally varied.
Overall, things are looking up. We have some enticing headlines such as daily BVLOS flights, routine BVLOS in unsegregated airspace, drones spraying chemicals and an “automotive-like” drone production line being set up in the UK.
However, if we look behind the headlines we find a more nuanced situation: BVLOS is severely restricted, chemical spraying is limited to uncontrolled substances and significant growth is usually driven by international rather than UK demand. Additionally, none of the organisations focusing on BVLOS consider they have achieved commercial volume in the UK.
The full report can be downloaded below, and the case studies featured are highlighted in the following table.
| Original Case Study | Update | Organisation |
|---|---|---|
| Teaming Manned and Unmanned to Deliver Effective Search And Rescue in UK Waters | Daily BVLOS for surveillance | Maritime and Coastguard Agency |
| New Logistics Using Existing Infrastructure to Connect Communities | Automotive-like drone manufacturing in the UK | Windracers |
| Food, Parcel and Medical “Last Mile” Delivery - Could We Go a Little Faster? | Last-mile drone delivery with "positive unit economics" | Manna |
| Remote Piloting Paving the Way for Autonomous BVLOS | Regular BVLOS inspection in unsegregated airspace | sees.ai |
| The Criticality of Integrating Drones with Business As Usual | More than 100% drone service provider growth | Cyberhawk |
| Automating Traditional Agricultural Practices | Spraying and seeding in the UK | Autospray Systems/ Drone Ag |
| Rapid Response at Times of Environmental Crisis | Expanding internal drone use | Environment Agency |
| Reducing Leaks with Smart Solutions | Developing inspection in confined spaces | Team UAV |
| Highly Accurate Drones Keeping Passengers and Engineers Safe And Minimising Commuting Delays | Evolution of high accuracy solutions | Plowman Craven |
| Digital Transformation in Stockpile Auditing | Integration of drones with business as usual | PwC |
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