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America's space agency is among the international eyes that have been closely tracking the progress of the a "cutting edge" £3.7m programme to trial uncrewed aerial technology taking place in Jersey this week.
Sorel has been used as a launch site for test flights since April, as part of the UK's Agile Integrated Airspace System programme (ALIAS).
Ports of Jersey is helping to facilitate the project, which is now in its final phase, alongside Digital Jersey and Volant Autonomy.
The drones took to the skies off the north coast during a series of test flights – initially in April and, most recently, this week.
Pictured: Sorel has been used as a launch site for the drone flights this week.
The trials have been examining the reliability of the unmanned technology and ensuring it meets strict aviation safety standards.
Digital Jersey CEO Tony Moretta said ideas that may once have seemed like "science-fiction" are being enabled by projects like the one happening on Jersey's very own doorstep.
"China has already licenced air-taxis, which are drones that can carry people, and the rest of the world will follow," he explained.
Pictured: The trials are helping to examine the reliability of the unmanned technology.
He added: "We talk about our supply chain challenges here – and drones were used interestingly enough in covid, in lockdown, to get medical supplies over to the Isle of Wight from the UK mainland.
"So there are lots of applications [regarding] supply chains and we need to understand what is coming down the line."
Mr Moretta also revealed that the "cutting edge" project was one of only two of its kind in the world.
"The other one is being done by NASA," he explained.
"We've had team calls with the project here and the project team in NASA.
"They're talking to the team here."
Video: Kris Smith, a remote pilot for Skyports, walked Express through the drone tech being trialled.
He added: "It [the project] adds an extra string to our bow, of people understanding what Jersey is – Jersey is an innovative place.
"There are huge benefits of our controlling our own infrastructure, our own regulation, our own airspace."
Project Lead Anthony Lawrenson said the trials had been "fantastic".
He continued: "It's really exciting and it's starting to show to people what the real potential of this technology is."
Pictured: Project Lead Anthony Lawrenson said the trials had been "fantastic".
Mr Lawrenson added: "We have had significant commercial interest, not just from aerospace primes, but from the financial sector to look at our sort of technology and the capability that it can bring.
"Once you automate this sort of process it is naturally a very scalable industry.
"Not only can it reduce costs, it can provide a more environmentally-friendly way of moving things and people around the planet and it can enhance capability."
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