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Irish Independent
2 days ago
- Business
- Irish Independent
Adrian Weckler: Honest debate about drones must go a lot further than whinging about noise
Ireland is unusually out in front, in European terms, in the drone delivery space. This is solely because of Bobby Healy's drone delivery firm, Manna, which has just signed its third major fast-food giant deal, this time with Deliveroo. Last week, Healy said he expects to see up to 10,000 daily drone delivery flights by the end of the year across 10 different locations in Ireland, including Blanchardstown, but maybe also Cork, Tallaght and Glasnevin. Regulators, generally, seem content. Businesses do too. But will there be pushback on the issue of irritation, particularly when it comes to noise? A scathing feature article in the Irish Times last week quoted a number of residents and councillors in the Blanchardstown area who said they took issue with the drones, mostly because of their noise. These complaints were dismissed as 'hysterical' by Manna, who said that the company has received just 77 complaints from over 170,000 delivery flights. So just how noisy are delivery drones? In my experience, they're clearly audible, though far less noisy than almost any delivery motorbike. Seated indoors with windows closed, you'd only hear one when it's delivering something close to your house at its lowest hover point. With windows open, it's more like hearing a buzzy bluebottle. Manna put forward a study it said was conducted by Trinity College Dublin (though commissioned by Manna) which measured the company's self-built drones at two key points of its flight: when passing over a home at 65 metres' height and when at its lowest point (14 metres in height) when delivering the package. Over the home, the TCD measurement report said the drone had the same audible reach as 'a normal conversation [within] one metre', and that it was 'audible but brief [lasting]10 seconds'. When flying at its lowest, at the point of package delivery, the drone sounded like a 'washing machine' or 'distant vacuum cleaner'. This, the TCD study said, was 'the loudest part of the mission'. It's not hard to see how this would divide opinion. Anyone who doesn't like the idea of delivery drones in the first place will say that the additional noise is unacceptable. Those in favour of the development will say it's a pretty modest hum. If Healy's projections come to pass, and we start seeing thousands, rather than hundreds, of drone delivery flights per day, this debate is likely to escalate. If it does, my hope is that it broadens sufficiently to encapsulate the core issue: acceptable noise limits in residential settings. There is a real, fully-defensible interest we all have in 21st century cities, towns and villages enjoying peaceful, non-piercing, non-disruptive levels of noise around our homes. It's a civilisation issue; we simply don't need to accept screaming machines the way we used to. Even apartments beside motorways, which are already discounted compared to those 100 metres farther away, now feel a right to thicker windows and quieter vehicle engines. I have always wondered, for example, why we put up with the existence of shrill mopeds and loud motorbikes. I know it's because they were a cost-efficient answer at the time. But these days? It's harder to justify, especially around residential areas. Everyone accepts some noise – even jolting, intrusive noise – if it serves a purpose we believe serves our neighbourhood. No-one says an ambulance's siren should be quieter. No-one seriously objects to agricultural machinery operating at the edge of town homes. And there's generally no by-law against petrol lawnmowers, as cacophonous as they are. We even still accept noisier diesel cars, even though we now know that their initial justification – that they were better for the environment than petrol engines – was false. So where do drones fit into this discussion? Is whatever noise they produce justifiable, relative to what they do for society? This is where views start to differ wildly. Listen to any call-in radio debate or online discussion on the issue and it soon becomes clear that many complaining of their noise simply don't like the idea of delivery drones at all, independent of whether they can be heard. The main objections, it seems, are a combination of utility, safety and privacy. 'Do we really need coffee delivered by a drone?' is the most common retort I hear or see. 'Medicine, maybe, but doughnuts? What sort of a society have we become?' This argument seems a little weak. It's a preachy tone laced with undertones of snobbery – what kind of slobs are you that you'd do this? And so on. This complaint also completely ignores the much worse noise from delivery motorbikes – shouldn't there be a ban on such vehicles, if noise really is the priority? Safety also crops up as a potential worry to drone delivery. What if they crash? A much more worthy objection, in my view, would be legitimate concerns over privacy and surveillance. Last week, this column revealed that a loophole in European law may allow gardaí to use face-tracking AI in real time, contrary to the EU AI Act (which applies to almost every other country) and contrary to what the Government currently says its intentions are. It may not be so hard to believe that a shift in attitudes could see delivery drones double as policing or security devices. After all, aren't Ring doorbells now effectively used as an extension of local policing? Safety also crops up as a potential worry to drone delivery. What if they crash? With thousands of flights, wouldn't the chance of that go up? The noise debate seems to be the one that looks set to occupy most heat in any pushback against drone deliveries. But if it's an honest debate, it should surely be wider than just for flying coffee couriers.
The Journal
5 days ago
- Business
- The Journal
Greens leader calls for urgent meeting on drone use as Deliveroo launches airborne service
GREEN PARTY LEADER Roderic O'Gorman has called for an urgent meeting of authorities to discuss regulations around drone use for commercial deliveries. It comes as online food delivery platform Deliveroo announced it will be initiating air deliveries using drones provided by drone operator Manna which has been delivering food items weighing 4kg or less for over a year in Dublin 15. The move gives customers in the area the opportunity to avail of extra fast food dispatch from leading local restaurants including Musashi, WOWBurger, Boojum and Elephant & Castle, arriving in as little as three minutes and at a speed of up to 80km/h. The new service will begin with a trial phase in the coming days and will be available to people within a 3km radius of Blanchardstown, Dublin 15. However, Green Party leader and Dublin West TD Roderic O'Gorman, who first raised his concerns in the Dáil in February, has renewed calls for a discussion on commercial use to involve major public stakeholders due to complaints from constituents. He wrote to the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport to request it holds an 'urgent session' on the deployment of commercial drones for air deliveries. Green Party leader Roderic O'Gorman. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo 'This is suiting Manna and it's suiting Deliveroo, but I'm not sure if it's suiting the wider community,' O'Gorman told The Journal in relation to complaints made by some locals relating to noise and privacy concerns. 'I asked that we'd urgently look to convene a meeting and bring in Manna, bring in Deliveroo, bring in the Irish Aviation Authority (IAA) to actually regulate drone use, and bring in the Department of Transport as well.' He expressed frustration at the delay in the publishing of a report by the Department which, he was told in February, would focus on developing a policy framework around drone use. 'That was in February. That really needs to be published now.' Advertisement He concedes that there are positive uses for drones in society, but hopes for a discussion on regulations to achieve a satisfactory solution for both sides of the debate. 'I see there's a role for drone deliveries [of] maybe medicines in more rural areas,' he said. 'I just think we have to have a discussion about that balance between what's good for a company versus what's good for society.' But Manna, an Irish start up from entrepreneur Bobby Healy, insists noise is 'not going to be an issue'. Healy spoke to The Journal last year where he brushed off concerns about noise polution. 'Right now we're flying 50 metres here in Blanchardstown and we can take it up a little bit higher, but we don't really need to,' he said. 'That's what we have done in Balbriggan, we do it in Texas. So that's not going to be an issue over time.' CEO of Manna, Bobby Healy, beside a delivery drone at the operations hub in Blanchardstown town centre. The Journal The Journal Healy added: 'We're an Irish business, everyone knows us, we're welcome here. Literally everyone is cheering us on, they want it to work.' The IAA said Manna is legally permitted to operate its services within Ireland due to 'a complex 'specific' regulatory category' requiring authorisation recognised in all EU member states. The regulation is enforced by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency and includes requirements for drone operator registration, pilot certification, and specific operational rules depending on the drone's class and the area of operation. The Irish Times wrote about the frustrations of Blanchardstown residents , one of whom said the noise was 'like living close to a helicopter', while another said they had to quit working from home due to the noise levels. Drones have gained increasing popularity in recent years as content creators, explorers and even civil bodies like An Garda Síochána employ them as a method recording footage otherwise impossible to get. They have also seen an uptick in use by event organisers putting on impressive light displays depicting moving figures made up of thousands of synchronised drones fixed with lights. Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Learn More Support The Journal
Irish Times
5 days ago
- Business
- Irish Times
Deliveroo tests drone deliveries with Manna partnership
Food delivery company Deliveroo has teamed up with Irish drone operator Manna to bring drone deliveries to customers in Dublin. The company will use the drones alongside the existing rider delivery network, with a pilot phase to test demand. The service will be available in Blanchardstown, Dublin 15, where Manna already operate its drone deliveries. Deliveroo branded drones will deliver food to customers in as little as three minutes. The company is hoping to better serve harder to reach areas with the drones, bypassing road traffic and speeding up deliveries. Among the restaurants that will take part in the initial phase are Musashi, WOWBurger, Boojum and Elephant & Castle. The plan is to include more restaurants and roll out launch grocery and retail deliveries within the next six months. READ MORE 'Our mission is to bring local neighbourhood favourites to as many people's doors as possible, and constantly raise the bar on the experience and service we provide - so –'m thrilled to launch drone deliveries in Dublin today,' said Carlo Mocci, chief business officer at Deliveroo. 'We're excited to explore how drones can help us reach new customers, complementing our existing rider model and if successful, the prospect of expanding drone deliveries across Ireland and into other markets.' 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. The drones can deliver orders quickly within a 3km radius of the hub, reducing congestion on roads and cutting carbon emissions associated with delivery vehicles. A single aircraft can do 100 deliveries a day, with up to 20 aircraft capable of being remotely managed by one Manna employee. To date, Manna has carried out more than 170,000 flights. 'Air delivery is fast, clean, and safe, offering a new avenue for local businesses to reach more consumer,' said Mr Healy. 'Manna Air Delivery is proud to partner with Deliveroo, a platform trusted by top local restaurants and eateries, to bring this innovative delivery experience to customers.' Manna currently operates in the Dublin 15 area, having previously run trials in Balbriggan and Galway. It is also seeking planning permission for a new hub in Tallaght, and plans to open others along the M50 and further afield. However, drone deliveries have come up against local opposition, with residents raising concerns about noise levels from the drones and privacy. Manna drones are equipped with cameras that are activated only when the drone arrives at its delivery location and hovers 14m above the ground, to ensure that the delivery area is free from obstacles. Manna says it received about 80 complaints, while Fingal County Council received 25 between January 2024 and 2025, with 18 mainly regarding noise.
Irish Independent
5 days ago
- Business
- Irish Independent
Manna deal with Deliveroo opens door to a million food drone deliveries every day, says founder Bobby Healy
Firm has now signed deals with three of the world's leading food delivery companies Ireland's Manna drone delivery company says it has signed contracts for one million daily delivery flights with three of the world's five biggest food delivery firms. Company founder Bobby Healy told the Irish Independent that the Dublin-based firm's latest 'huge' deal with Deliveroo was the start of a new phase of expansion for the company and that it would be simultaneously live in 10 urban locations in Ireland by the end of the year, before seeking expansion in the UK, Nordic countries and US.
Irish Times
25-04-2025
- Business
- Irish Times
The Irish Times Business Person of the Month: Bobby Healy, Manna Aero
Bobby Healy, founder and chief executive of Manna Aero, has been chosen as The Irish Times Businessperson of the Month for March, an award run in association with Bank of Ireland . During the month, the company announced that it had raised $30 million to help fund its ambitious expansion plans. Manna has been leading the way in drone delivery services, succeeding in getting its delivery commercial service off the ground. A serial entrepreneur who counts CarTrawler and Eland Technologies among his previous ventures, Mr Healy founded Manna in 2018. The company develops aviation-grade drones that fly at 80km/h and deliver goods including groceries, takeaways and medicines within a 3km radius in less than three minutes. READ MORE The aim is to reduce congestion on roads and cut carbon emissions associated with delivery vehicles. Manna has raised $60 million in funding since it was founded, including the $30 million round in March. Among its backers are Molten Ventures and Tapestry VC, Enterprise Ireland, Coca-Cola HBC, Dynamo VC and Radius Capital. This money is set to fund the company's immediate growth plans. It has signed deals with DoorDash and JustEat, two of the biggest food delivery companies globally. While Healy and his team have had to navigate a stringent regulatory process, Manna has now carried out more than 160,000 drone deliveries since it began testing the service. With services already under way in Dublin 15, Manna is now planning to expand to other areas. It is also carrying out tests in Finland, and is eyeing the UK for potential expansion.
