Plans to fast-track deliveries of supplies to hospitals in Northumbria using drones have been scrutinised by local pilots.
Airfields could face closures and flying privileges restricted under the plan, according to aviation groups, which have also raised safety concerns.
Regulator the Civil Aviation Authority is yet to approve Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust’s plan, which could see around 30 hospitals in the area receiving airborne deliveries of the likes of prescriptions and wound care from next autumn.
This comes after UK-based healthcare logistics firm Apian signed a deal on Monday with autonomous delivery company Zipline to use the latter’s drones for NHS goods.
However, pilot group The General Aviation Alliance said it strongly opposed the idea, while The British Microlight Aircraft Association labelled the initiative as “flawed”.
Concerns have been raised that without collision-avoidance technology and altitude restrictions, drones could appear in low-visibility areas.
Lacking regulation on autonomous technology would also mean restrictions being placed on airspace for other vehicles as Zipline’s drones are rolled out, groups said.
Zipline had argued that the use of its drones, which have a range of 130 miles and already operate in the US, would be significantly faster and cheaper than existing road transport for the NHS trust, though.