Solent Transport Future Transport Zone - Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) Drone Operation Pilot

Solent Transport - via it's accountable body Portsmouth City Council - intend on entering into a contract with Skylift UAV to provide Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) drone operation to support the Solent Transport Future Transport Zone (FTZ) in partnership with the University of Southampton and funded by the Department for Transport (DfT). Skylift UAV will provide airspace management, drones and drone operation in accordance with their Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) approved Operating Safety Case and within the CAA approved Temporary Danger Area.

This is to support trials that inform how drones could be integrated into airspace in the future and support research into how drones can facilitate medical logistics in the Solent area. Solent Transport require Skylift UAV to act as Airspace Managers for the Temporary Danger Area for the duration of the trials and provide and operate drone platforms to facilitate Drones for Medical Logistics trials in accordance with the Operating Authorisation, Operating Safety Case and Temporary Danger Area constraints as set out in the Airspace Change Proposal ACP-2022-106.

The commencement of the contract will be 2nd April 2025. The contract will expire on 1st November 2025 at the completion of all BVLOS trials and reporting.

The value of the contract will be £312,990 excluding VAT. Prior to entering into contract a 8 working day standstill period will be observed in line with the Procurement Act 23 requirements. The standstill period will at end at 23:59 on 31st March 2025.