DRONES are set to deliver crucial Personal Protective Equipment and medical supplies in a new Government trial.
Grant Shapps has announced the scheme would begin testing next week with crucial items being delivered to the Isle of Wight.
Speaking at the Downing Street press conference, the Transport Secretary claimed the scheme was originally designed for the years ahead.
He said: “I’ve also given the green light to trials of drones to deliver medical supplies.
“Earlier this year, we awarded £28 million pounds to Southampton and Portsmouth to deliver a future transport zone.
“As part of that imitative, £8 million was earmarked for testing drones and how they might be used to deliver goods in the years and decades ahead.
“Of course, now we have an urgent need so we’re making use of that testing program as part of our response to Covid-19.
“I fast tracked that testing to begin next week to carry medical supplies to St Mary’s Hospital near Newport on the Isle of Wight.”
The scheme was one of several new measures announced which aim to see the transport industry boost its response to the coronavirus pandemic.
Mr Shapps added:”The continued operation of both passenger and freight transport is critically important to our resilience as a country.”
