Fleets of autonomous drones will become an everyday sight in Britain’s skies within three years, the airspace regulator has said.
Under the plans, “large-scale” deployment of the unmanned aircraft will be rolled out by 2027, unlocking the ability to transport chemotherapy drugs to hospitals, mail to remote locations and defibrillators to emergencies.
The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) said it was preparing for “regular and routine” drone flights, which are currently only allowed in cordoned-off airspace to avoid the risk of collision with other aircraft.
Amazon said it was preparing to start drone deliveries in the UK by the end of the year, as part of a series of CAA trials.
The regulator said these trials would be the first step in allowing autonomous drones to share the skies with planes, helicopters and enthusiasts such as paragliders and model aircraft.
Drone flights have been slow to take off in Britain compared to the US and Europe, where regulations already allow packages and takeaways to be delivered aerially.
Britain’s crowded airspace has led to concerns from pilots that the vehicles are unsafe and need to be equipped with advanced collision avoidance technology.
The CAA said drone operators would need to demonstrate they had adequate “detect and avoid” technology as part of their widespread use.
It said the changes would create an “agreed pathway to large scale routine operations within the UK”.
To date, flights have only been allowed in Britain when airspace is set aside for drones. Amazon tested drone flights in Cambridgeshire but shut down the operation without making a single commercial delivery.