New horizons: The case for public sector drone investment
9 min read 12 November 2024
Commercial drones have landed, and new horizons have dawned for the possibilities they bring to public services. Not only does the UK Government have a unique role to play in developing regulation, infrastructure, and incentives to support increased uptake of drones, this technology has the potential to fundamentally transform the way the public sector operates.
New research from Baringa reveals that harnessing drones to support the delivery of different public services will deliver impressive cost, time, and environmental savings.
What are the key findings?
The total number of drones will increase to nearly 700,000 by 2035
The total number of drones in the UK will increase by 75.8% to nearly 700,000 drones by 2035. Total uptake of drones by commercial and public sector organisations is expected to increase by around 420%, from 45,400 in 2024 to 235,700 in 2035.
Law enforcement could save £22.6m a year
Law enforcement could save £22.6m a year by transitioning certain National Police Air Service (NPAS) operations from helicopters to uncrewed aircraft systems (UAS) and drone-in-a-box technology – a 55.4% cost saving compared to current operations. This generates environmental savings of up to 6.1m kg CO2e per year, which is equivalent to saving emissions from 1,458 petrol-powered cars driven for a year. Between 2027 and 2035, law enforcement could save £187.6m in operating costs and generate environmental savings valued at £5.5m, producing a total of £193.1m in benefits.
Network Rail and the British Transport Police could generate £56.3m per year in benefits
Deployment of drones by Network Rail and the British Transport Police could generate £56.3m per year of benefits by reducing delay time to passengers and reducing payments by Network Rail to train operators for delays. Total benefits could amount to £593m from 2024 to 2035.
Drone deliveries could unlock a total of £44.1m in savings for the NHS
Drone deliveries could unlock a total of £44.1m in savings for the NHS, including £42.9m in operating costs and £1.2m in environmental savings, between 2027 and 2035. Blood Transfusion Services could save £4.1m and free up 145,000 working hours each year by using drones to deliver blood samples. NHS logistics providers could save £2.0m and free up 127,000 working hours per year by using drones to deliver pathology samples. These use cases also generate environmental savings of 16.6m kg CO2e from 2024 to 2035, which is equivalent to the carbon sequestered by 19,381 acres of forest in a year.
Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) could save £1.6m a year
The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) could save £1.6m a year by transitioning appropriate operations to drones, including support and search missions. This would reduce emissions by 8.8m kg CO2e from 2024 to 2035, equivalent to 1,148 homes’ energy use for a year. Between 2027 and 2035, operational cost savings amount to £11.9m and environmental savings are equivalent to £891,000, generating total benefits of £12.8m.
Drones could generate up to £720m between 2027 and 2035 in cost savings
Drones could generate up to £720m between 2027 and 2035 in cost savings for the public sector if we look solely at quantified use cases across healthcare, public safety, and infrastructure. The overall benefit of drones is likely to be much higher than this estimate, as there are additional benefits we have not covered in this paper that organisations stand to realise.
In this paper, we explore select use cases where public sector organisations across public safety, infrastructure, and healthcare stand to gain clear, tangible benefits from drone technology. These results only begin to uncover the plethora of use cases available to public sector organisations. Making the most of drone technology will allow the public sector to build resilience, operate more effectively, and improve outcomes for citizens.
Our research arrives at a critical juncture for the public sector. As a challenging fiscal environment continues to exert significant funding constraints, organisations must demonstrate that the projects and programmes they pursue can generate cash savings and measurable outcomes. By drawing on economic modelling techniques, supported by qualitative methods, we provide valuable insight into the likely operational costs of drones and the savings they can deliver against business-as-usual costs. We also explore potential blockers to progress and share practical steps that public sector organisations can take today to build a compelling case for drone investment.
If the UK Government is serious about seizing the advantages of drones, it cannot afford to wait. Drone technology is growing more sophisticated and cost-effective by the day. The regulatory roadmap is in place to allow routine Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) operations by 2027. Meanwhile, commercial organisations are scaling up investments and testing new use cases. Drones are here to stay – it’s up to the public sector to decide whether it will be driving the change, and maximising the benefits, or playing catch up.
Download our report to find out more, and get in touch with Robin Cooper, Bernice McNaught, Fraser McNeil and Alex Law for more information.
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