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A drone test flight involving the transport of cargo between Jersey and Guernsey is "achievable" by this summer if there is enough local support for it, according to those behind a £3.7m programme to trial uncrewed aerial technology.
Ports of Jersey is helping to facilitate the UK's Agile Integrated Airspace System programme (ALIAS), alongside Digital Jersey and Volant Autonomy, to ensure that drone operations are safe and adhere to aviation standards.
The first flight trials are set to begin this week, with another set of tests due in June should they be successful.
Sorel is being used as the launch site for tests, which mark the next phase of the ALIAS project and could ultimately lead to uncrewed aircraft being used to improve connectivity between the Channel Islands, such as through the delivery of medical supplies and enhanced search-and-rescue operations.
Project Lead Anthony Lawrenson told Express that the trials would examine the reliability of the unmanned technology and make sure it adheres to strict aviation safety standards.
He said: "If an aircraft's on the ground and we want it to fly to a waypoint over the water north of Sorel, we want to make sure that the aircraft takes off when it's cleared and follows – within a few metres – its position vertically and laterally. [And ensure] it is able to do that in various weather conditions, and is also able to co-ordinate with other drones in proximity."
Mr Lawrenson added that the drones being used weigh less than 20kg "and would fit on any family kitchen table".
"They can take off vertically and then transition to forward flight. We're using these, predominantly, as research and development test-beds – but we do have ambition to move forward to larger aircraft that are more economically viable."
Citing possible future uses, he said that drones could enable "enhanced search and rescue" in the Channel Islands.
Pictured: Drone trials are due to begin this week on the island's north coast.
Paul Strudwick, head of air navigation services, agreed such a use was realistic.
He said: "It's going to be the future – let's face it, things like this are going to be needed if we want to improve those sort of facilities and that sort of search and rescue functionality."
He added: "We can work with our Channel Island regulator very closely around how this might work. With the tests that are going on now, we will get assurances that these things can be run safely."
Pictured: Anthony Lawrenson and Paul Strudwick at the airport.
Mr Lawrenson said: "Everybody has been very supportive. From our perspective, we've always got to remember – it's your island. We can bring in technology and we can we can introduce it but the island has to decide what its needs and wants are.
"We can make suggestions around search and rescue, we can provide logistical supply chains to Guernsey or to mainland France if that's what's wanted."
The idea is gaining interest at a time when the island's cargo movements are under close scrutiny – with resilience of the main sea supply route having been put under pressure by bad weather, just as the islands' governments have begun shopping around for the "best" ferry deal. After being shelved for many years, the idea of an undersea tunnel linking the islands to France is also being examined as a serious means of bolstering supply chains.
"As a next step, a demonstration flight between Jersey and Guernsey would be an obvious move," Mr Lawrenson continued.
"It's perfectly feasible. We would provide an appropriate size of aircraft and an appropriate nominal demonstration piece of cargo for the demo, but we can build on that.
"If people want to approach us about funding, we could achieve that this year. We could achieve that by the end of this summer, comfortably. It's just whether people have, and institutions have, the appetite to push this forward."
He added: "The technology, the regulations, and perhaps more importantly the communal status of co-operation we've built up between all these entities – that's all in place. Now we're looking for the next challenge."
A 60km2 section of Jersey’s airspace will be used for the trials.
The drones will fly below 3,000ft, beneath commercial aircraft flight paths.
Ports said the drones’ noise impact on the local environment would be kept to a minimum.
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