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A NUMBER OF local councillors have recieved complaints from residents of Dublin 15 over the noise of a new drone delivery service that has begun in the Blanchardstown area.
The company behind the high-flying food, Manna, is an Irish start up from entrepreneur Bobby Healy. It began trials of its services in Blanchardstown this month and is due to begin its full operation next week.
At a launch event in Dublin yesterday, Healy addressed concerns over the noise levels by saying it was “not going to be an issue”.
Videos of the drones started appearing on social media within the last week, with some residents of Dublin 15 either aghast, confused or excited with their arrival.
The drone delivery service started in Blanchardstown last week but has been operating in other areas of Fingal, such as Balbriggan, over the last number of months. The company also has operations running in Texas in the United States.
The digitally-operated drones work from a hub located on the campus of the Blanchardstown Town Centre and can deliver to people’s homes who are in a 3km radius.
Healy told reporters yesterday that the four drones in Blanchardstown have the ability to do eight flights, per drone, every hour.
While there have been some welcome reactions to the new delivery service, some residents have already sent complaints to councillors in the area over the noise the drones make.
Labour party councillor Mary McCamley said she had received a small number of emails complaining about the drones.
Another councillor from the Dublin 15 area said those who are of older age group will show “no love” for the new venture, and had worries over the noise and potential impact it could have on local wildlife.
However, Fianna Fáil councillor Howard Mahoney said he has recieved largely positive feedback from residents about the drones’ arrival to Blanchardstown and viewed it as “the way forward”.
When asked about these complaints by The Journal at a launch event yesterday, Healy detailed a number of mitigation measures that the company has taken in the past when noise levels have caused issues.
“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,” Healy said.
Healy detailed that if one resident in particular has an issue with the noise or the presence of the drones, Manna has measures in order to direct the flight path, accordingly, so that it does not fly near or over that location again.
“That’s what we have done in Balbriggan, we do it in Texas. So that’s not going to be an issue over time.”
The company told The Journal that the relevant local authorities are aware of their services. The IAA said Manna received permission to fly their drones in Blanchardstown after successfully completing the regulatory process.
According to the authorisation body, Manna has completed “tens of thousands of flights in several locations around the country” including in Moneygall, Co Offaly, Oranmore, Co Galway and in Balbriggan, Co Dublin.
In a statement the IAA said: “Drone delivery operations like Manna Drone Delivery fall into a complex ‘specific’ regulatory category, which requires an explicit authorisation from the IAA.”
The spokesperson added that this type of authorisation is recognised in all European Union member states and companies must provide a lengthy and comprehensive safety portfolio in order for their service to be recognised.
Statistics from the latest census shows that the Blanchardstown area is one of the most densely populated areas in Dublin, outside of the city centre.
Healy said: “We’ve done now 170,000 delivery flights. We have, in total, about 20 complaints in three years. This is the busiest place we’re going to be and it’s the most dense, there’s always going to be complaints and we obviously have to consider them.”
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.”
He added that the company is expected to expand to most to urban areas in Ireland over the next year and are in talks with regulators in three other European countries in hopes to introduce the service this summer.
The difference between politicians with a cause and politicians without one is shown in this article.
Anyone that votes FF/FG/Labour/SF, should be ashamed of themselves and take credit for their part in the state of this country. Anyone that doesn’t go out and vote, should be ashamed for the same reason!
Pat The Cope Gallagher has been around more years than I can remember.
What in the name of God are people voting for him for ?
He’s done absolutely sfa for this country. Will you culchies get rid of him once and for all and inject some badly needed new blood into Irish Politics.
From what I heard the people of Donegal wont vote for him.
If they have sense they won’t he did feck all for us like the rest of them and as for what he done to our fishing quotas..
Another overpaid and underworked prize gobsh1te, lets make these crooks history!
What will be more dangerous Pat for you and Fianna Fail is your support for the Property/Bondholder Tax and for water charges
Can anyone shed light on why he is called “the cope”? Or even what a cope is would be helpful?!
Believe it or not there is a politician called The stroke can’t think of his name of hand.
His Grandfather Paddy the Cope founded the first co-operative grocery business in Donegal. Co-op … Cope …
@ Stephen Barry. Just ONE?
Ha brilliant! All a bit gangster though isn’t it? Could extend it further – Enda “The Monk” Kenny, Bertie “The General” Ahern, Joan “The Screech” Burton…
Thanks for the explanation Con, although you’ve kinda killed my little game before it even got going though! Never even had a chance to decide who would be “The Tosser”!
The Stroke Fahy, from Galway. Jailed for corruption, unsurprisingly enough.
I know they are all strokers, but he wore it like a badge of honour,wish I could remember his name.
Willie Stroker?
Thanks Dermot
A cope is part of a Bishop’s regalia.
There was a Fr Willie Stroker in our parish….had a few bad habits.
Fahy an x Fianna Fáil co. councillor in co Galway who got jail for having a nice fence around his property built by all of us
Rónán Mullen will hardly be elected, will he? Seriously worried.
Opus Dei are everywhere.
It could happen.
It could happen, but I’d predict Mairead McGuinness (FG), Pat The Cope Gallagher (FF), Matt Carthy (SF) and Marian Harkin (Ind). That would have sitting FG MEP Jim Higgins losing out.
People of Donegal will certainly vote for Pat. He is widely liked and respected. He does a hell of alot of work for his constituents. He is leading the fight for fairer fishing quotas and bigger punishments for foreign vessels who exploit irish waters. Obviously not everyone will agree but i for one will be voting for him. BTW his Grandfather Paddy “the cope” set up numerous textile, fish factories and other enterprises in west Donegal which provided employment for hundreds of families who othetwise would ve had to emmigrate to Scotland. He is remembered almost as a saint in The Rosses area of Donegal.
Pat the Cope supports the Property Tax AND water charges. His grandfather would be disgusted
I met him at Alicante Airport rushing back to the Dail for a vote, told him that they had broke our country,wasting my time. Was in Gortahort at a Colaiste Einde re union and he turned up for mass and then disappeared ,the next morning headlines on Sunday papers was about our old age pensions being reduced and we were the class of 65 year old.
Sod off, Pat “the Cope” Gallagher. How the hell could you take anyone with a name like that seriously, let alone chose them to represent you abroad?
nout time he retired like most of The politicians up here. But with amount of pension s he has hes probably saving us money by running
He makes a reasonable point.
One should be a sweeper. Pat being allowed run west of the Shannon is a clear indicator that he is the sweeper.
He doesn’t have the wider profile of young Byrne.
I think he could take a leaf out of Tommy Bolger’s book! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PuG2pUR7z7E
That senator Byrne is not from rafters road, drimnagh is he?
Are you thinking of Senator Windows?
Seanie go to bed
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