Shannon Airport to Foynes Port: cutting delivery time by nearly 70%

Project Overview

In 2021 between September and October, FedEx Express, a subsidiary of FedEx Corp. (NYSE: FDX), and the world’s largest express transportation company, in collaboration with Future Mobility Campus Ireland (FMCI) Air, announced the completion of its first scheduled drone last-mile delivery flight in Ireland. The delivery marked the launch of a trial service delivering goods from FMCI, based at Shannon Airport, County Clare, to Foynes Port, County Limerick, Ireland’s second-largest port operator and largest bulk port company.

The drone deliveries were conducted by Skyports, a world-leading operator of cargo drone deliveries, on behalf of the FMCI Air consortium which also includes Avtrain, Shannon Group and FMCI.

The delivery of the first FedEx Express package in Ireland via drone demonstrates the benefits of drone delivery for last-mile service and the commitment by FedEx to exploring the latest innovations in last-mile delivery.

The delivery is part of a month-long trial which will see a number of test flights conducted in the Mid-West region, beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) between Shannon Airport and Foynes Port, with deliveries anticipated to be made in under 13 minutes. Clare County and Limerick City and County Council have shown their support for the project, highlighting the role that the councils are playing and leading from an innovation perspective.

Technical Achievement

Regulatory Compliance

The operation showcased exemplary adherence to aviation safety standards, taking place in controlled airspace with full air traffic control services. This integration of manned aircraft operations with vertiport drone operations set a new benchmark for Advanced Air Mobility implementations.

Operational Excellence

The success of this project validates Avtrain's commitment to:

Maintaining highest safety standards in BVLOS operations
Ensuring proper pilot certification and training
Supporting complex airspace integration
Researching wider range of regulatory requirements for drone operations, e.g. GDPR, environmental considerations and etc.

Future Impact

This milestone represented a significant step toward establishing Ireland's position in Advanced Aerial Mobility. The project demonstrated how proper training and certification, core elements of Avtrain's expertise, are essential for the future of drone delivery operations.