Emer Currie (Dublin West, Fine Gael)

We have seen the rapid growth of commercial drone activity in Ireland, especially in my constituency of Dublin West. Manna Drone Delivery has been piloting a delivery service from a local base in Blanchardstown Shopping Centre and another site in the vicinity at junction six at the M50, which is the subject of some dispute. The company completes more than 300 deliveries daily within a radius of 3 km. The company has stated that by this summer its services will expand to cover around 500,000 residents across Dublin, with plans for ten drone bases citywide by the end of the year. Potentially, these will serve up to 1 million people.

This is no longer a trial or a novelty. It represents a significant modal shift in how goods and services are being delivered in our communities. It looks like it is here to stay and therefore demands our attention from a planning and regulatory perspective. While business innovation is welcome, as are the potential reduction in carbon emissions and the timely delivery of medicine and medical equipment, it brings to the fore issues we cannot ignore. These include protecting the public's privacy, ensuring safety and managing the day-to-day impact on people's lives, especially in densely populated areas. It is important that we support innovation while addressing the very real concerns of local communities, like noise pollution. The noise levels of drones in Dublin West can reach 60 dB to 65 dB above WHO recommendations for daily noise exposure. There are flight paths over residential areas. When we knock on the doors of houses like we do when we are canvassing and spend a significant time in an estate, it is possible to experience a snapshot of what residents inside that 3 km radius are now living with. It is a near continuous hum of drones overhead. Some liken it to the noise of a lawnmower. It is fine every now and again right beside you, but not all the time above you. We are used to the noise of passing traffic or a passing train during the day.

Rather than asking them, are we really telling residents that they must accept this change in their environment, this disruption and, to some, this intrusion without debate or public consultation? Currently, our planning and regulatory system does not support that. The first-hand experience of nearby residents must be taken into account as we move forward with developing a clear framework for commercial drone operations. It is essential that we do not let innovation outpace regulation. Some have that said drones are completely unregulated, but that is not true. Two EU regulations currently apply. One governs how drones are operated by weight and the other sets technical and safety standards for the drones. However, they focus on aviation safety and risk and do not take into consideration the needs of communities and residents who do not know who to contact to raise concerns or make a noise complaint. In addition, they do not know what their rights are. The national policy framework for unmanned aircraft systems currently in development needs to be launched. A national public awareness campaign on the role and responsibilities of the Irish Aviation Authority, IAA, and the rights of residents is necessary. We also need a clear distinction between the role of the planning authority and the IAA, and the establishment of a U-space, an unmanned traffic management system. This would allow authorities to define controlled flight zones, schedule flight times over residential areas and ensure that drones are safely and responsibly integrated into shared airspace.

See this speech in context