A company that develops drone aircraft has successfully undergone a delivery of vital medical supplies during the coronavirus pandemic.
Windracers, a non-profit business, has flown its twin-engine, fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), named ULTRA autonomously from Lee-on-Solent to the Isle of Wight.
The flight took just 18 minutes and delivered urgent medical supplies for St Mary’s hospital.
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The mission was only possible because the company tested its drone at St Merryn Airfield, in North Cornwall, in late 2019.
Those trials were successful and the ULTRA UAV could soon be taking part in more trail flights, between Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly.
With the ability to carry payloads of up to 100kg for up to 1,000km the Windracers’ ULTRA aircraft is then likely to be used for further mercy missions.
Charles Scales, chief executive of Windracers, said the invaluable tests carried out in Cornwall had enabled Windracers to be ready to undertake its important job for the NHS during the coronavirus crisis.
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Windracers provides transport services to the humanitarian aid, research and environmental protection communities using unmanned aerial vehicles.
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In November 2019 the organisation used Cornwall as its test site for ULTRA. The AeroSpace research and development programme at Cornwall Development Company, funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), supported Windracers’ £168,000 upgrade of the ULTRA UAV and flight trials at St Merryn Airfield with a £78,000 grant.
During the project, Windracers worked with Isles of Scilly Council, 700X Naval Squadron from RNAS Culdrose, the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA)and the Cornwall Airport Newquay air traffic control team.
Following a CAA exemption to fly at St Merryn airfield, Windracers ran numerous demonstration flights, to confirm the operational and autonomous performance upgrades of the ULTRA aircraft.
Mr Scales said: “The partnership between Windracers and Cornwall Development Company has been a big step forward for Cornwall’s UAV programme and lays a foundation for other businesses to follow.
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“The support on offer to Windracers and is still ongoing, with both sides looking forward to running trials to the Isles of Scilly.
“We are very excited to continue partnering with Cornwall on our R&D project, which will open up major opportunities for us in the region.”
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Mr Scales said that long term Windracers’ objective is to operate in Africa from dirt landing strips to deliver food and other urgent aid to communities that struggle to get supplies by road.
A spokeswoman for the Cornwall Development Company said: “Cornwall is still open for businesses and is supporting hi tech companies such as Windracers to enable them to develop products and services that have a positive impact on Cornwall’s economy.”