Spaceport Cornwall, the UK’s first licensed spaceport, has begun work with the National Drone Hub to create a new testing environment for uncrewed aerial systems.
The National Drone Hub, run by WholeShip in partnership with the Royal Navy, is the UK’s first Civil Aviation Authority-accredited drone test site. It offers access to a 320-hectare facility with four runways and over 8,000 square kilometres of segregated airspace off the Lizard Peninsula.
The partnership with Spaceport Cornwall | Cornwall Airport Newquay will expand these capabilities, with teams establishing a Specific Operations Risk Assessment (SORA), a safety framework needed for complex drone operations at Newquay.
Supported by funding from Cornwall Space Cluster, the project could provide access to segregated airspace off Cornwall’s north coast. This would allow Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) drone testing and evaluation, including operations for larger and high-speed uncrewed vehicles, even at supersonic speeds.
Combined, the two Cornwall sites will offer unique testing environments to develop and certify next-generation autonomous systems, from small drones to supersonic uncrewed vehicles.
Amy Smith, managing director at Cornwall Airport Newquay, said: “This joint project combines the expertise of two pioneering aerospace teams in Cornwall delivering national firsts in space and future air systems.”
Helen Stembridge, director at WholeShip, added: “We are delighted to be working with Spaceport Cornwall/Cornwall Airport Newquay to support and develop this dual use opportunity to benefit the airport, the county and the region.”
Gail Eastaugh, head of strategic partnerships at Cornwall Space Cluster, said: “This collaboration offers an incredible opportunity for us to further cement Cornwall’s place at the forefront of UK space and aerospace operations, and Cornwall Space Cluster is proud to support this groundbreaking project.”
