Northumbrian Water is expanding a pioneering drone trial aimed at monitoring water quality across coastal waters and estuaries in north-east England. The initiative, called Project Kingfisher, follows successful test flights conducted earlier this year in Bishop Auckland.

The water company highlighted that using drones would make it more cost-effective and efficient to gather data from hard-to-reach areas, where manual collection has traditionally been relied upon. Drones equipped with sensors will provide real-time data, which will be reviewed by the company, with any water quality issues investigated as per standard procedures.

Despite the trial, Northumbrian Water said it would continue manual checks to assess the reliability of the technology. John Edwards, the company’s technical policy manager, stressed the importance of the initiative, especially as water quality remains a critical issue.

Skyports Drone Services is conducting the drone flights, with the aircraft capable of covering distances of up to 12 miles (20km) on a single charge. The drones' ability to dip in and out of water, which inspired the name Project Kingfisher, allows for easier sample collection in challenging locations that would otherwise require hours of travel by workers.

Cheska Rojas, Project Kingfisher Lead at Skyports Drone Services, said the trial is a significant step towards scaling these services and potentially rolling them out across other regions in the UK. The technology could also enhance worker safety and allow water companies to proactively address problems before they escalate.