Addresses can't be blocked from drone flight paths

Requests by members of the public in Cork for Manna Air Delivery to block their Eircodes from the company’s flight plans are being refused on the basis that its Cork operations are “still at an early stage”.

Emails seen by the Cork Independent state the company “is using this period to observe how flight paths are operating in practice”.

“At present, we are not applying Eircode or other geographic restrictions, as such measures can unintentionally shift or concentrate activity in other areas. We will continue monitoring operational data and assess whether targeted refinements are appropriate as operations develop,” it said.

The company has stated that it does block Eircodes when requested for its Dublin 15 operations. At a sitting of the Oireachtas Joint Transport Committee on 9 July 2025, Manna Air Delivery CEO Bobby Healy said the company responds to requests to block Eircodes within 24 hours.

“Residents email us their Eircodes. They usually email us with a complaint or a request and we ask for their Eircode because our system is based on Eircodes, and we just outline the perimeter of the house. We use Google Maps to find the perimeter of the house and we block it all off. Then when the aircraft figures its route out, before it takes off, it just avoids that route always,” he said.

However, a spokesperson for Manna confirmed this was a “limited, courtesy-based approach … in a different operational and regulatory context,” and following the introduction of the National Drone Framework in August 2025 has not been offered.

“In Cork, operations are still at an early stage and we are closely monitoring how the service functions. At present, we are not applying Eircode or other geographic restrictions during this phase,” they said.

A recent community survey found that a number of local Cork residents opposed drone delivery operations in the city.

The survey, which was run by Labour Party councillor Peter Horgan and had 385 respondents, found that 89% opposed Manna’s operations.

It also found that 71% of respondents had already been directly impacted by drone activity, and that the peak period of disturbances was between 5pm and 8pm.

Respondents said that they were concerned about noise pollution, privacy, the impact on wildlife and pets.

The survey also found there was a “strong perception that public consultation has been insufficient”.

Members of Cork City Council’s Transport SPC met with representatives of the IAA on Monday 20 April.

Cllr Horgan said that “the guidelines and regulatory powers that should be available to councils … have not yet been commenced”. He said these are not expected to be in place until the end of the year.

“In my view, this has created a situation where drone operators can engage in delivery services without adequate enforcement powers in place for the local authority. This is not acceptable and should be paused until the regulatory guidelines and frameworks are fully established,” he said.

This article was produced with the support of the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme funded by Coimisiún na Meán.