Nearly 70 participants – including representatives from the Civil Aviation Authority and several drone companies – joined the successful event at Somerset Council’s iAero Innovation Centre in Yeovil.

The meeting was part of Somerset Council and Devon County Council’s ‘Future Flight Innovation Zone’ (FFIZ) project, funded by £233k from the Government’s Local Growth Deal Fund.

The FFIZ project commissioned research on ‘Drones for Social Good’, the results of which were discussed at the iAero event.

The research highlighted potential drone applications for councils, the NHS and other institutions, which could save money, reduce carbon emissions and improve safety.

Drones could, for example, carry out checks on council housing stock. Instead of sending scaffolding and engineers to check every house, engineers would be sent out to repair jobs identified by the drone, saving time and money.

The FFIZ project aims to support the development of future flight technologies by providing access to academia, skills and regulatory bodies, as well as test and demo areas to bring new innovative products to market in the South West.

Institutions including the University of Exeter, Yeovil College, and the Met Office are involved.

The recent event was facilitated by ARPAS-UK (the Trade Association for the UK Drone Industry) and supported by the Connected Places Catapult, NATS Aero, Leonardo, local universities and Further Education colleges.

The information from in-depth discussions will guide efforts over the next 12 months, focusing on research projects and activities.

Lead Member for Economic Development Planning and Assets, Councillor Mike Rigby said,

It’s very early days, but drones bring some novel possibilities for businesses and Somerset’s economy.

This is not just about cost savings, but also about innovation and making our services better and more efficient.

To find out more about the project, visit swffiz.co.uk.