Manna drone delivery pilot in Cork draws privacy and noise complaints from residents

Residents raise privacy and noise concerns as drone food deliveries begin in Cork and new airspace restrictions face scrutiny

Bobby Healy, founder and CEO of Manna Aero with a MANNA Air Delivery drone. Manna drone delivery system is now trialling in Cork City, based at Marina Market, Centre Park Road. Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) drone operations. The Irish-owned technology company has plans to recruit for various roles based in Cork. Picture: Larry Cummins

Up to 200 submissions and complaints have been lodged over the roll out of the new drone delivery service in parts of Cork city and planned new airspace restrictions.

Less than a month into drone delivery firm Manna’s pilot programme in Cork, the sight of drones zipping around the south east of the city have become commonplace.

The first demonstration flights first took off on February 19th from the Marina Market, with independent food businesses La Cantina, Frankie’s, and Burritos & Blues all participating in this initial exploration phase with Manna.

However, the new service has immediately raised complaints from residents in the city unused to seeing drones flying over their homes with hundreds of complaints and submissions already being lodged with the Irish Aviation Authority.

Flights continue to take place as the company engages with council officials regarding a full roll-out across the city.

Manna said it continues to engage with council officials regarding a full roll-out across the city and said that if demand was strong, up to 50 direct jobs could be created in the area as part of a full-service rollout.

Almost a month in, Kevin Houston, Head of Regulation at Manna said it currently has two drones being utilised around Cork south-east, which is part of its “ongoing operational testing and validation.” 

Picked up at the Marina Market, food deliveries are being transported to surrounding areas, including Blackroad Road and the wider Docklands.

'Dynamic routing system'

Manna said the drones do not operate on fixed flight paths, with Mr Houston explaining: “They use a dynamic routing system designed to optimise efficiency while dispersing flight patterns and returning drones safely and quickly to base.” 

Currently, there are just two permanent red zones prohibiting any drone flights in Cork. Those are around Cork Airport and Cork Prison. However, Manna Mr Houston added that Manna does not operate flights over sensitive locations such as schools, hospitals or cemeteries, in line with operational safety and regulatory requirements.

Red zones over Cork airspace. Credit: Bobby Healy/Manna

Manna has also operated drone deliveries in Moneygall, Oranmore, Balbriggan, Texas, Finland and Dublin 15 in the last seven years.

The company has said the community in Dublin 15 shows “huge support” for the service, adding that its aircraft “makes less noise than typical street traffic.” It said over 1,100 residents had emailed their local representatives, calling on them to support the service. It also said a petition of over 6,000 called for the expansion of the service.

Dublin 15 objections

However, a current planning bid to retain a drone delivery hub in Dublin 15 is facing substantial local opposition, with more than 90 submissions, the vast majority of which oppose the development, being lodged with Fingal County Council.

One resident wrote that Manna’s assertion that drones are “quieter than cars” is misleading, as “cars do not routinely pass over people's roofs at all hours".

The same objector wrote: “We must ask ourselves if we truly want our skies to become as congested and noisy as our roads merely for the convenience of coffee and fast-food deliveries".

Manna drone delivery system is now trialling in Cork City, based at Marina Market, Centre Park Road.  Picture: Larry Cummins

People Before Profit-Solidarity TD Ruth Coppinger TD and party colleagues, Cllr John Burtchaell and Cllr Helen Redwood have also lodged a joint objection. In it, they say the frequency of flights is already causing “significant distress within the community.” Additional information was requested by the council, with no decision made on the retention plans yet.

While stating that Manna is engaging with council officials on all aspects of a possible mature rollout in Cork, the company did not respond when asked if they were planning on lodging a bid in the near future with Cork City Council.

Cork airspace restrictions

To facilitate Manna’s pilot programme in Cork, the IAA implemented new temporary measures significantly limiting almost all other drone pilots from flying over large parts of the city without providing two days' notice.

The measures were enacted to facilitate the entry of a Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) drone operator – in this case, Manna - to Cork City, which Drone Professionals Ireland (DPI) called "fundamentally unfair."

A public consultation is currently underway as the IAA aims to make these temporary measures permanent from May.

It is understood that over 200 submissions have already been received, the majority of which are from concerned residents.

In a statement to the Irish Examiner, a spokesperson for the IAA said it received “a number of complaints” regarding the temporary restriction measures in Cork City.

“Additionally, we have seen a high level of interest in the consultation and have seen a steady stream of admissions to date,” the spokesperson continued.

IAA invited to City Council

Labour Party councillor for the Cork City South East ward, Peter Horgan, who is also chair of the council’s transport committee, told the Irish Examiner that residents in the Blackrock and Ballintemple areas have expressed significant concern regarding the drones, specifically around a lack of privacy and noise complaints.

“It’s one thing to say that drones are quieter than traffic, but traffic doesn’t hover over your head,” Mr Horgan said.

“There was also very little consultation done by the IAA before these measures were implemented, and a lot of people did not know what was happening.

“There were many senior officials, even within the city council, who were not aware of this.” Mr Horgan said the IAA was invited two weeks ago to appear before the council’s transport committee to answer questions regarding the airspace restrictions. The councillor added that the IAA are yet to respond to that invite.

“While I have received one or two messages from people that are in favour of Manna and the IAA’s measures, the vast majority of people who have contacted me are overwhelmingly against this,” Mr Horgan said.

In a statement to the Irish Examiner, a spokesperson for Cork City Council said it was aware of the proposed drone delivery service, adding that it “is currently exploring the wide range of issues associated with a project of this kind.” 

“The City Council has not developed any land use policies regarding the use of delivery drones,” it added.

“We are aware of the recent publication of the national policy framework for unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), and any required future changes to policies or regulations to support UAS would be considered by the City Council in consultation with the Irish Aviation Authority when required.”