More than 200 residents raise concerns over plans for Dundrum drone delivery site
A decision on Manna's plans to set up a drone delivery site in the area has now been put on hold while the company responds to local concerns.
The company's planning application to DLRCC sought a five-year permission for drone operations close to main street, Dundrum.
'It's smack bang in the middle of Dundrum village, right beside Holy Cross Church,' local Green Party councillor Robert Jones said.
'It's near the old shopping centre and they're looking to use a piece of the car park there.
'One of the major things the residents are concerned about is that it's close to a place of worship.
'On either side you also have residential areas and schools. People are afraid that it'll disrupt their everyday lives.
'The council is making it clear that the community must be heard,' he added.
DLRCC's Biodiversity Officer also noted that the planning application was ecologically inadequate.
The officer's report said biodiversity in the area had been 'entirely overlooked' and that important information – including flight paths, drone volumes and ecological impact assessments – were missing.
Cllr Jones said over 215 residents had sent in their observations.
'These are not minor technical gaps. The application fundamentally fails to address how this drone operation could affect residents, wildlife and sensitive habitats,' he said.
DLRCC has asked Manna to review all third-party submissions and provide specific mitigation measures for the issues raised.
Cllr Jones also demanded a response from Manna's CEO Bobby Healy.
'If Manna wants to be part of this community, they must come and talk to people on the ground, not just fly over them,' he said.
'Bobby Healy appeared at the Oireachtas Committee on Transport to address some things people are concerned about in terms of privacy and other areas.
'He had good answers. If he held a meeting with the people of Dundrum in the same way, it could help.'
Earlier this year, Manna Air Delivery received an enforcement action from Fingal County Council for its drone operations in Dublin 15.
Residents complained that the use of delivery drones was a 'noise nuisance' in the area.
A spokesman for Fingal County Council said it had taken the action in July after its inspectors found that Manna Air Delivery was operating launch sites without planning permission.
A spokesperson from Manna Air Delivery said: 'Our plans to fly in Dundrum are not imminent, and we will be providing all the information requested by the planning authorities.
'We have also engaged with local representatives to talk about the benefits Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) can bring – to main street businesses, local residents, and in terms of reducing traffic.'
Head of Regulation at Manna, Kevin Houston, added: 'We engage with local authorities for each site, as advised as appropriate by our external planning consultants and within the scope of the 2001 Planning Act, as can be seen by our Blanchardstown base and application in Tallaght.
'The majority of people in Dublin 15 have used the service and we have been delighted with the 2,268 positive messages in-app and via our letter of support we have received in the area.'
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RTÉ News
a day ago
- RTÉ News
What's the social impact of food delivery drones in Irish skies?
Analysis: There are many issues from noise to privacy which need to be considered around fast food drone deliveries in Ireland Back in 2020, a RTÉ report on Manna's new drone delivery service showed two cappuccinos being delivered by one of the company's drones in Oranmore in Co Galway. A member of the public summarises the milestone as 'this is space age!' Five years on, Manna is the leading company operating drone deliveries in urban areas in Ireland, with a service which appeals to those looking for a futuristic and novel way for ordering their takeaway pizza or coffee. Other drone delivery companies are also conducting trials and operating in Ireland. This includes Wing, operated by Google's parent company Alphabet that has conducted trials in Lusk and South Dublin and Iona, a company focused on deliveries to rural and underserved areas. From RTÉ Radio 1's Saturday with Colm Ó Mongáin, the positives and potential negatives that come with drones On its website, Manna promotes its drone delivery service as beneficial to local communities, with fast delivery, cleaner air and less traffic. They address complaints about issues of privacy by arguing that the drone cameras only operate when deliveries are being lowered. In terms of noise pollution, Manna refer to a report undertaken by Dr. John Kennedy, Associate Professor in Vibrations, Acoustics and Dynamics at Trinity College Dublin. This study analyses the noise of their drones using their Blanchardstown delivery service and claims its fly-over noise is just marginally above the noise found in a 'typical urban setting with steady traffic'. But what is the social impact of such novel technologies as they are implemented at a much faster pace than any means of adequately regulating them? Issues other than noise need to be taken into consideration when analysing this. For example, scaling up drone delivery services across cities might involve an increase in the number of drone stations similar to Manna's Blanchardstown base, which has been subject to complaints about noise and privacy intrusion. It might see the development of larger hubs, such as the Amazon drone-beehive concept, a multi-storey tower surrounded by drone launching pads and with terminals for truck delivery at ground level. While there are EU regulations on the operation of drones above 250 grams in weight or ones that record personal data (image or sound), there is a lack of information about drone flight pathways: for example, there is no drone equivalent to the flight tracking website Flightradar24. The only information available, thanks to recent EU regulations, is the geographical zone map for the usage of drones across Ireland. Safety concerns about the social impact of drones have been well documented. An academic paper from 2016 records concerns including navigation and piloting mistakes, crashes into public infrastructure (such as electricity poles), roads or private property, hijacking of their GPS systems, and the possibility of the payload becoming unattached during flight. It also points out that both the freedom from harm and the freedom from fear of harm are basic human rights. It's no surprise that local Irish communities are starting to mobilise around this issue and taking the matter into their own hands considering the lack of adequate discussion and consultation on the use of drone delivery services. Manna's plans to operate drones from other areas in Dublin, such as Dundrum and Glasnevin, have already ran into objections and opposition. Dún Laoghaire Rathdown Co Council said they have received 148 submissions over Manna's proposal to locate a new aerial delivery hub on lands to the rear of the Holy Cross Church in Dundrum. Writing on behalf of the Holy Cross Church and Pastoral Centre, Monsignor Paul Callan said their objection was on the basis of the drones potentially crating a "hostile noise environment" against the Centre's aim to offer "a quiet respite to the demands of modern life". From RTÉ Radio 1's Liveline, listeners call in to give out yards about drones Manna's counterargument is that they have support from local residents in the areas where they operate and they have submitted a letter in support of their drones to Dublin 15 local representatives signed by 400 local residents. But Cllr John Walsh, representing Castleknock in Dublin 15, launched an online petition calling on the Government to regulate commercial drone delivery services, which he said are impacting communities across Dublin 15. Walsh's petition has gathered more than 1,100 signatures to date, nearly three times the number claimed by Manna. In some cases, local communities have engaged directly with Manna to address their concerns. In the Glasnevin/Drumcondra area, the Griffith Avenue & District Residents Association has mobilised the local community and subsequently arranged a meeting with Manna to discuss and set exclusion zones from drone deliveries. All these developments highlight the pressing need for a much wider consultation process with the whole Dublin population on this matter, rather than unevenly distributed and localised interventions. It also highlights the need for more transparency and better understanding of the need and rights of citizens rather than implying that the issues can be simply resolved through technical improvements. This will become increasingly important as more innovative and 'smart' technologies are implemented in Dublin and other major urban areas in Ireland, with ever increasing autonomy and the use of AI, and all its potential issues. Most importantly, we need to be able to understand how all these technologies can impact us before they arrive unannounced at our door with a greasy takeaway.
Irish Independent
7 days ago
- Irish Independent
More than 200 residents raise concerns over plans for Dundrum drone delivery site
Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council (DLRCC) has requested further information from Manna Drones Ltd after 215 residents raised concerns and observations, particularly about noise. A decision on Manna's plans to set up a drone delivery site in the area has now been put on hold while the company responds to local concerns. The company's planning application to DLRCC sought a five-year permission for drone operations close to main street, Dundrum. 'It's smack bang in the middle of Dundrum village, right beside Holy Cross Church,' local Green Party councillor Robert Jones said. 'It's near the old shopping centre and they're looking to use a piece of the car park there. 'One of the major things the residents are concerned about is that it's close to a place of worship. 'On either side you also have residential areas and schools. People are afraid that it'll disrupt their everyday lives. 'The council is making it clear that the community must be heard,' he added. DLRCC's Biodiversity Officer also noted that the planning application was ecologically inadequate. The officer's report said biodiversity in the area had been 'entirely overlooked' and that important information – including flight paths, drone volumes and ecological impact assessments – were missing. Cllr Jones said over 215 residents had sent in their observations. 'These are not minor technical gaps. The application fundamentally fails to address how this drone operation could affect residents, wildlife and sensitive habitats,' he said. DLRCC has asked Manna to review all third-party submissions and provide specific mitigation measures for the issues raised. Cllr Jones also demanded a response from Manna's CEO Bobby Healy. 'If Manna wants to be part of this community, they must come and talk to people on the ground, not just fly over them,' he said. 'Bobby Healy appeared at the Oireachtas Committee on Transport to address some things people are concerned about in terms of privacy and other areas. 'He had good answers. If he held a meeting with the people of Dundrum in the same way, it could help.' Earlier this year, Manna Air Delivery received an enforcement action from Fingal County Council for its drone operations in Dublin 15. Residents complained that the use of delivery drones was a 'noise nuisance' in the area. A spokesman for Fingal County Council said it had taken the action in July after its inspectors found that Manna Air Delivery was operating launch sites without planning permission. A spokesperson from Manna Air Delivery said: 'Our plans to fly in Dundrum are not imminent, and we will be providing all the information requested by the planning authorities. 'We have also engaged with local representatives to talk about the benefits Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) can bring – to main street businesses, local residents, and in terms of reducing traffic.' Head of Regulation at Manna, Kevin Houston, added: 'We engage with local authorities for each site, as advised as appropriate by our external planning consultants and within the scope of the 2001 Planning Act, as can be seen by our Blanchardstown base and application in Tallaght. 'The majority of people in Dublin 15 have used the service and we have been delighted with the 2,268 positive messages in-app and via our letter of support we have received in the area.'
Irish Times
05-08-2025
- Irish Times
Dundrum drone delivery plans delayed as council requests further information
A decision on a planned drone delivery hub for Dundrum has been delayed after planning authorities requested further information on noise levels and how the operation might impact the ecology of the local area. Drone delivery service Manna lodged plans with Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council in June for the aerial food delivery hub at a site off the main street of Dundrum in a car park to the rear of Holy Cross Church. Founded in 2018 by entrepreneur Bobby Healy , Manna has developed aviation-grade drones that fly at 80km/h and deliver goods, including groceries, takeaways and medicines. Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council has asked the company to carry out a number of assessments before making a final decision on the plan. Among the additional information it has requested is a noise impact assessment addressing the take-off and landing of drones, idling and preflight checks, and any noise created by loading, unloading and associated ground support equipment. READ MORE The company must also provide information about the proposed area and hours of operation, how many drones it expects to have in the air at once, and proposed flight heights. The local authority has also requested various assessments to examine the potential ecological impact of the drone activity on local wildlife, including birds and bats, and a transport assessment to look at the volume of ground traffic and trips that might be needed to serve the proposed aerial delivery hub. Manna has six months to submit the additional information. The application for the Dundrum hub has encountered significant local opposition, with a number of objections lodged to the plans. Local residents have raised concerns about noise, citing recent reports from a group of residents in Blanchardstown where Manna operates a drone service, the impact on privacy and potential safety concerns from low-flying drones. Manna drones are equipped with cameras that the company says are activated only when the drone arrives at its delivery location and hovers 14 metres above the ground, to ensure that the delivery area is free from obstacles. A similar proposal for Tallaght, located off the Main Street at the area's new Priory Market, has also been subject to a request for further information from that local authority. South Dublin County Council is seeking a noise impact assessment, and has also requested further evaluation of how the proposed delivery hub would impact on operations at Baldonnel, and the air ambulance service at the nearby Tallaght Hospital. 'As previously noted, our plans to fly in Dundrum are not imminent and we will be providing all the information requested by the planning authorities,' said Kevin Houston, head of regulation at Manna. 'We have also engaged with local representatives to talk about the benefits UAVs [unmanned aerial vehicles] can bring to main street businesses, local residents, and in terms of reducing traffic. 'We engage with local authorities for each site as advised as appropriate by our external planning consultants and within the scope of the 2001 Planning Act, as can be seen by our Blanchardstown base and application in Tallaght.' Manna's activity is regulated by the Irish Aviation Authority and any safety incidents are investigated by the Air Accident Investigation Unit. The company has completed more than 170,000 deliveries in Ireland to date, with three unplanned controlled landings recorded. It delivers to 37,000 households in Blanchardstown, with around 150 complaints made to the company since it began operating in the area around 18 months ago. Manna has pushed back against the complaints, noting its safety record, and expressions of support from more than 2,000 users in the Dublin 15 area, including a letter of support sent to public representatives signed by more than 400 residents. 'The majority of people in Dublin 15 have used the service and we have been delighted with the 2,268 positive messages in-app and via our letter of support we have received in the area,' said Mr Houston.
