News & Analysis
The grid, reported.
Independent coverage of drone delivery regulation, operators, technology and business — updated daily.
TECHNOLOGY
Detect and avoid: the technology making shared airspace possible for delivery drones
The ability to detect other aircraft and take avoiding action without a human pilot in the aircraft is one of the foundational technical requirements for safe BVLOS drone operations. Here is how current detect and avoid systems work.
REGULATION
EASA’s three-category framework: the regulatory structure shaping European drone operations
The European Union Aviation Safety Agency structures drone operations into three categories — Open, Specific, and Certified — each with different risk levels and different authorisation requirements. Here is how the framework works and what it means for operators.
OPERATORS
Manna Drone Delivery: how Ireland became a serious testing ground for urban BVLOS
Manna has been conducting commercial BVLOS drone delivery operations in Ireland since 2021, authorised by the Irish Aviation Authority. It is one of the few operators globally with sustained experience delivering directly to residential addresses in populated areas.
OPERATORS
Matternet and the Swiss model: what a mature medical drone network looks like
Matternet has been operating hospital drone delivery routes in Switzerland since 2017 in partnership with Swiss Post. It is one of the most documented examples of what a functioning medical drone logistics network actually looks like.
BUSINESS
The economics of drone delivery: key variables and what determines viability
REGULATION
EASA U-space: how Europe is building its framework for commercial drone operations
TECHNOLOGY
The four airframe configurations in commercial drone delivery — and the trade-offs between them
TECHNOLOGY
What is UTM? The airspace management layer that makes drone delivery possible
OPERATORS
Amazon Prime Air: a factual account of what is publicly known