A UK drone operator specialising in offshore logistics, which has flown heavy cargo drones to wind turbines for Orsted at Hornsea and Walney.
Skylift UAV is a UK drone operator that specialises in offshore energy and logistics. Its own description is that it offers turnkey UAV solutions for both visual and beyond-visual-line-of-sight flying, meaning flights where the pilot can see the aircraft and flights where they cannot, for logistical and time-critical challenges. In 2025 it worked with the European heavy-lift drone maker FlyingBasket and the offshore wind developer Orsted on what the companies describe as the UK's first large-scale offshore drone delivery programme. Over about six and a half weeks it completed more than 600 flights, carrying 38.1 tonnes of equipment to more than 400 turbines at the Hornsea 1 and 2 and Walney 1 and 2 wind farms.
Toby Moores is named as chief executive and co-founder of Skylift UAV. In the programme announcement he said the work shows drones can change offshore logistics by combining safety, efficiency and sustainability, in support of the UK's move to renewable energy. The company says it partners with global innovators to provide safe, efficient and sustainable drone services. That is its own wording, and it describes Skylift as a long-term member of ARPAS-UK, the UK drone industry association. The programme followed a 2024 project in the Netherlands that delivered 5 tonnes of equipment in 10 days.
Skylift's work is UK offshore wind, with the Hornsea sites off the Yorkshire coast and Walney off Cumbria. The announcements describe it as a UK drone operator. None of the pages we read give a head office address, so we cannot say which town its team is based in. Check its contact page.
Companies claim that the heavy-lift drone work reduced emissions and was more than ten times as cost-effective as traditional lifting, and that it cut the time workers spent in drop zones from 50 minutes to one minute per lift. These are claims by the companies involved, not independent findings. They show the culture of the work: safety is a main reason to use drones at all, because it takes people out of dangerous lifting zones. The FlyingBasket FB3 drones involved carry up to 100 kg each.
Behind the scenes, a company like this employs drone pilots, flight planners, safety and compliance managers who work with the Civil Aviation Authority, engineers who maintain heavy-lift aircraft, and project and operations managers who coordinate with wind farm owners. If you are interested in renewable energy, aviation or engineering, offshore wind is a growing area of the economy. Check the company's website for current vacancies.
Website: arpas.uk/skylift-and-flyingbasket-deliver-uks-first-large-scale-offshore-drone-delivery-programme
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