10170717Regional Offshore Cargo Drone DemonstratorClosedCollaborative R&DInnovate UKThe _Regional Offshore Cargo Drone Demonstrator_ will trial the UK's first heavy-lift drone logistics service dedicated to offshore wind farms. Led by UK based SME Flowcopter, the project partners with AYRLogistics (helicopter and drone operator), and Angus Council (owner of Scotland's pioneering Montrose Drone Port). Today, spare parts, tools and emergency supplies for offshore turbines are carried by vessels or helicopters - methods that are costly, carbon-intensive, weather-limited and expose personnel to risk. Flowcopter's hybrid-powered FC100 unmanned aircraft can carry up to 100 kg of cargo over 100 km. By demonstrating repeatable flights between the Montrose Drone Port and nearby North Sea wind installations, the consortium will show that heavy-lift drones can slash logistics costs, cut emissions and improve turbine uptime. The project directly supports the Department for Transport's _Future of Flight_ vision and the UK's target of 50 GW of offshore wind by 2030\. It will also stimulate new regional supply chains in low-carbon aviation technologies, from advanced hydraulics to drone-port services and will develop the UK's autonomous and beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) UAV capabilities. All key findings - including safety lessons, community engagement approaches and carbon-saving metrics - will be shared openly to accelerate wider commercial deployment. By proving that large-payload drones can operate safely and economically in harsh offshore environments, the demonstrator positions the UK at the forefront of sustainable logistics for renewable energy.