An initiative to use drones for delivering school meals to remote Argyll communities has been nominated for a national award.
The pilot project resulted in pupils at Lochnell Primary, eight miles north of Oban, becoming the first in the UK to receive their meals by drones.
The council was keen to get involved in the initiative to tackle some of the recurring transport and delivery issues faced by its remote and island communities.
Now the scheme is in the running in the innovation and community focus category of the Facility Management Awards (Assist FM).
Argyll and Bute Council officials hope that using the electric drones will increase efficiency and cuts costs, while also meeting the Scottish Government’s commitment of free school meals for all P1-5 pupils.
It could also help address another issue the local authority faces – the fact many of its schools do not have kitchens, meaning meals cannot be prepared on site.
‘Perfect location’
When the pilot was announced in June last year, council leader Robin Currie said the area was the “perfect location” for it.
The drones, which can hold 3kg of supplies and are built by Skyports, take off from Oban Airport, which is two miles from Lochnell Primary School.
It is hoped that the airport, which has commercial flights to Coll, Colonsay, Islay and Tiree, will eventually be used as a UAV “innovations logistics hub”, with new funding in place to enable the construction of it by March 2025.
Argyll and Bute Council received £170,000 from the UK Government Community Renewal Fund to create a detailed planning application with full design and costings in order to bid to the UK Levelling Up Fund.
The council has also been shortlisted for two other awards, the Flexible Food Fund and service redesign.
Elsewhere, the authority has also been nominated in the 2023 UK Planning Awards in “partnership for protecting and enhancing Argyll’s rainforest”.
‘Innovative solutions’
Deputy council leader Gary Mulvaney said: “We’re working hard to deliver real opportunities for communities to help grow the local economy by providing innovative solutions in service delivery and design.
“From supporting climate friendly projects to world firsts, such as the drone delivery project, our communities are the beating heart of everything we do.
“I’m incredibly proud of all the hard work leading up to the award nominations and seeing how much all the individual projects benefit both residents and visitors in the area.”
Conversation