Singapore set to trial parcel deliveries by drone in urban environments

Airbus Helicopters and the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to conduct proof-of-concept trials for delivering parcels using drones. The MOU was signed by Jean-Brice Dumont, the Executive Vice-President, Engineering at Airbus Helicopters, and Kevin Shum, Director-General of CAAS, at the side lines of Singapore Air Show yesterday (16 February).

The trials will be run as part of the Skyways Experimentation Project which aims to “develop an airborne infrastructure solution to address the sustainability and efficiency of parcel delivery business in large urban environments”.

The Skyways Project is looking to build an “integrated system” which incorporates not only the drones – or “Unmanned Aircraft (UA) – but also “safe and secure aerial corridors”, automated parcel stations and operational management and communications systems.

In a statement issued yesterday, CAAS said that the trials will be run in two phases:

• Airbus has begun work with the National University of Singapore (NUS) on the planning and development of the first trial, which entails the establishment of a parcel stations network on NUS campus. “This network will enable users to send important and urgent items such as documents via an UAS to other parts of the campu,” said CAAS, “It also serves as a supply and distribution interface for suppliers across Singapore to deliver their goods via UAS to customers across the NUS campus.”
• If the NUS campus test is a success, the project may extend to a second trial. This will cover delivery of goods such as urgent medicine, oil samples and spare electronic parts from a parcel station located at the Singapore coast to ships anchored at bay.

Airbus intends to set up a Special Purpose Company in Singapore to conduct the Skyways Project and to prepare for the next steps.

Commenting on the trials, Kevin Shum, Director-General of CAAS, said: “We need to prepare for the greater use of unmanned aircraft in our urban environment to help address the new and future needs of our society. We want to facilitate their use by industry and the public sector, and also hobbyists, but we must at the same time ensure that the regulatory regime keeps apace with these changes to enable such uses, whilst ensuring public and aviation safety and security.” said

Jean-Brice Dumont, Executive Vice-President, Engineering, Airbus Helicopters, added: “Airbus Helicopters’ expertise in vertical lift solutions puts us in the best position to turn UAS into a business reality while ensuring their safe operation in dense urban environments.

“Although many UAS services are already common today, efficient and reliable applications in the logistics industry are still in their early stages.

“Our vision is the seamless integration of UAS into logistics networks and daily life in a safe, secure and economically efficient manner.

“Airbus strongly believes in the viability of the ‘Skyways’ project which will help turn consumer services unimagined only a decade ago into a reality very soon.”