The Government has awarded £1.2 million to nine new freight projects, including a plan to use drones to deliver parcels in the Orkney Islands. The first winners of the Freight Innovation Fund (FIF), have been announced today (Tuesday, April 11).
The hope is that they will help create cleaner, more innovative ways of delivering freight around the country.
The winners include Skyports Deliveries, which will use drones to improve island-to-island connectivity in the Orkney Islands, and Electric Assisted Vehicles, which is developing a four-wheel, electrically assisted lightweight delivery vehicle to help reduce road emissions.
The fund is one part of the Government’s Future of Freight plan launched last year.
Roads minister Richard Holden said: “Whether it’s drones for deliveries on remote islands or zero emission buggies – we want to invest in future technology that could transform how we move goods around the country while reducing emissions and traffic and creating skilled jobs.
“The Freight Innovation Fund gives innovators the opportunity to test their ideas and help our freight industry become greener and more efficient – unlocking better connectivity and boosting growth across the country.”
The winning projects are led by small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that have designed innovative technology and are partnered with companies to explore the viability of these solutions in real-world conditions.
The nine projects that have been awarded funding are: