Skyports, Port Authority of New York and New Jersey Collaborate “to Explore Middle-Mile Drone Logistics”
UK-based Skyports, a leading global drone services company, announced this week a strategic partnership with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ), reports a press release. The collaboration is to explore the potential of middle-mile drone logistics in the region.
The release says, “The Port Authority oversees much of the region’s air, land, rail and maritime transportation infrastructure network, including: John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK), LaGuardia Airport (LGA), and Newark Liberty Airport (EWR); the Port of New York and New Jersey, one of the largest and busiest port systems in North America; in addition to major tunnels and bridge crossings within the Port District, which spans a 25-mile radius around the Statue of Liberty. “
“This multi-year collaboration,” continues the release, “will help realise PANYNJ’s vision for implementing and scaling uncrewed aerial systems (UAS) across its extensive portfolio of maritime, aviation and transportation assets.”
The partnership is to initially investigate how middle-mile all-electric drones can support the Port Authority’s goal of reducing volumes of truck traffic which currently utilise the Port’s many bridges and tunnels. The Authority aims to re-allocate a large portion of its cross-Hudson freight movements to greener modes of transport like UAS.
The collaboration will begin with a feasibility study to identify regulatory, technical, operational and commercial pathways across the Port District for enabling drone services, with an initial focus on middle-mile applications.

Alex Brown, Director of Skyports, remarked, “The Port Authority, with its extensive portfolio of maritime and aviation assets, including three of the busiest airports in the U.S, as well as the nation’s second-largest port by total cargo volumes, is well positioned to integrate UAS applications within a complex operating environment.”
He continued, “We look forward to exploring the feasibility of drone operations in the Hudson River airspace, onboarding initial customers, and producing an actionable roadmap for UAS in New York City, with a view towards launching proof-of-concept operations within the Port District.” Adding, “Our partnership is a pivotal step for maritime and logistics focused drone operations in the U.S.”
The “middle mile” refers to a segment of the supply chain between the distribution centre (or warehouse) to a retail store or local fulfilment centre, but not directly to the end consumer. This part of the chain is critical for efficiently moving large quantities of goods closer to their final destinations, thus preparing for the “last mile” delivery, which is the final step of delivering goods to customers.
Seth Wainer, Innovation Program Director at PANYNJ, commented, “It may seem like something from the Jetsons, but if drone cargo proves viable it may be a low-carbon way to move the most valuable items between New York and New Jersey. We are exploring routes and starting to look for customers who may be interested in investing in this space alongside us.”

Skyports has extensive experience in the maritime and port sectors. The company operates daily commercial deliveries to vessels in the Port of Singapore, providing a safer, greener, and faster alternative to traditional delivery services. The drone services company also works with Norway’s state-owned energy company, Equinor, to deliver supplies to oil installations in the North Sea. In Scotland, Skyports operates an inter-island drone delivery service in partnership with Royal Mail, the UK postal service.
For companies interested in collaborating with Skyports/PANYNJ on drone applications in the NYC region, should contact:-
Steven Spinello at: steven@skyports.net
For more information
https://www.panynj.gov/port-authority/en/index.html
(Images: Skyports)
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