Manna Air Delivery Suspends Drone Delivery Operations in Dublin and Cork, Ireland

Drone delivery company Manna Air Delivery has announced the suspension of its drone delivery services in Ireland, citing the country's continued lack of a clear national policy framework for commercial drone delivery — a gap the company says leaves no viable path to scaling operations domestically.

A Strategic Pause, Not a Permanent Exit

In a statement released over the weekend, Manna emphasized that this decision constitutes a "strategic pause" rather than a permanent withdrawal from the Irish delivery market. The company said it continues to believe that drone delivery can help local businesses thrive, improve access to essential goods, reduce traffic congestion and carbon emissions, and deliver meaningful benefits to people of all ages and mobility levels.

Manna further stated that it stands ready to resume Irish operations once an appropriate national policy framework is established, and that it remains willing to work with the Irish government, the Irish Aviation Authority (IAA), and other local bodies to help shape a National Drone Framework.

Founder: Focus Must Shift to Markets With a Clear Path Forward

Manna founder and CEO Bobby Healy acknowledged the difficulty of the decision. "This is a hard decision because Ireland is where Manna was born, grew up, and first proved its concept," he said. "We are deeply grateful to the communities, businesses, customers, and employees who helped prove that drone delivery can work at scale."

He added: "However, without a clear national pathway for commercial drone delivery at scale, we must focus our investment on markets where that path is visible."

Seven Years of Operations, Over 300,000 Deliveries Completed

Founded in 2019, Manna spent seven years building and operating delivery services across Irish locations including Moneygall, Oranmore, Balbriggan, Blanchardstown, and Cork, while also expanding to Helsinki, Finland, and Texas, USA.

During this period, the company completed more than 300,000 deliveries and partnered with over 120 businesses, providing communities with rapid access to groceries, meals, pharmaceuticals, and everyday essentials.

In Blanchardstown — Manna's most mature Irish market, where operations launched in February 2024 — nearly 90,000 deliveries were completed. The company views this figure as a clear demonstration of strong community demand, while also highlighting the policy, planning, and infrastructure gaps that remain unaddressed in Ireland.

Policy Vacuum Creates Uncertainty; Resources Redirected Overseas

The absence of a national policy framework means that decisions must currently be handled on a case-by-case basis at the local level, creating significant uncertainty around the planning and infrastructure requirements needed to scale commercial drone delivery. Meanwhile, the US, UK, China, and the UAE have all demonstrated rapid regulatory progress and strong commercial momentum.

In light of this, Manna has decided to concentrate its investment, talent, and operational resources on markets where large-scale drone delivery is already a reality. The company has secured operating authorizations in both the US and UK, and expects to receive full authorization in the UAE before the end of this year.

Local Job Expansion Plans Put on Hold; R&D Centre Remains in Ireland

The suspension also means that plans to expand local delivery hubs and create additional jobs across Ireland will be put on hold. However, this decision does not affect Manna's continued investment in Ireland — the country will remain the company's core base for research and development, engineering, robotics, regulatory affairs, customer service, and corporate functions.

Users in affected areas will be notified directly via the Manna app and email, and the company will work with its local commercial partners to wind down Irish delivery operations in an orderly manner.

Company Background

Founded in 2019, Manna has raised more than $110 million USD to date. Its services span books, groceries, over-the-counter medications, meals, and everyday essentials, with a mission to empower local businesses and significantly reduce carbon emissions.

原文來源： 查看原文