As at March, British outfit Skyports, home-grown technology giant ST Engineering and local start-up F-drones have received approval from the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore to begin recurring commercial trials out of the Maritime Drone Estate.is designated for maritime drone fliers to test their wares.
"The traditional means is to have a small launch boat that goes out for either crew change or for exchange of supplies. Drones minimise the time that takes." British firm Skyports said the trial deliveries it started in January are already profitable. PHOTO: SKYPORTS Co-founder of F-drones Nicolas Ang said the experience has led to some new features incorporated into the drones so that they can deal with magnetic interference near vessels and stay buoyant, in the worst case that they end up in the water when delivering goods.
But key to their relevance is the time savings. Drones can perform deliveries up to 90 per cent quicker, with return trips currently averaging just 15 minutes, compared to more than an hour for launch ships.