Partnership with U.K.-Based Drone Operator Follows Earlier Test Flights of Small Autonomous Uncrewed Aircraft to Assess Viability of Cross-River Cargo Drone Routes for Middle-Mile Cargo Delivery
Automated Drone Flights to Start Monday, April 27, Between Downtown Skyport and Brooklyn Marine Terminal; Small Uncrewed Aircraft to Fly Weekdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Only under Supervision of Drone Pilot
Video and Photos of Earlier Test Flights are Available
The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and Skyports Drone Services today announced that trial flights using a small uncrewed aircraft to carry light cargo between lower Manhattan and the Brooklyn Marine Terminal will begin on Monday, April 27, for 12 months. The flights are scheduled to operate weekdays on a fixed route entirely over water, away from residential buildings and under the supervision of a certified drone pilot with the approval of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
The yearlong trial will be the latest in the Port Authority’s work to assess the viability of drone cargo routes that may one day be used to deliver goods for public benefit around the region as a means of removing vehicles from congested roads, supporting low-carbon delivery methods and seeking alternatives to traditional middle-mile delivery of goods. It follows a shorter two-week proof-of-concept test that was conducted in January by Skyports, in partnership with the Port Authority and the New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC), using the same route, schedule and small uncrewed aircraft.
“The Port Authority has put small uncrewed aircraft to use for public service for many years already, from helping in demolition and construction of mega-structures around the region to the maintenance of our marine facilities from the water line up to the tallest heights of our bridges’ cables and towers,” said Port Authority Chairman Kevin O’Toole. “More than 75 years ago, the Port Authority revolutionized how the entire world moves goods for commerce with the invention of containerized shipping at Port Newark. Now we are laying the groundwork for the next generation of cargo delivery in this region.”
“The movement of goods and people has changed dramatically in the past century since the Port Authority was founded, but there is always one constant: we are always at the forefront, whether it was building the world’s longest suspender bridge or operating the world’s busiest bus terminal,” said Port Authority Executive Director Kathryn Garcia. “As the operator of this region’s network of airports, we are building on our experience and relationships to make drone cargo delivery a reality so that the entire region can benefit from fewer delivery vehicles on congested city streets and fewer emissions in the air we all breathe.”
“Around the world, drones have proven themselves an effective tool for getting critical cargo from A to B, providing a quicker and cleaner alternative to regular road transport,” said Skyports CEO Alex Brown. “Whether it’s traversing heavy traffic or tough terrain, drones have real potential to improve middle-mile logistics. We look forward to demonstrating their potential in New York over the next 12 months, helping to take vehicles off the road and improve the level of care provided to medical patients.”
“NYCEDC is leading the charge in a transportation revolution, leveraging New York City’s assets to reimagine the ways the city moves goods and people – making this drone pilot a reality,” said Jeanny Pak, interim president & CEO of New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC). “Working alongside our public and private partners, we are transforming the city’s waterfront – including the Brooklyn Marine Terminal and Downtown Skyport – into cutting-edge multimodal hubs for sustainable transit and last mile delivery. These efforts are shifting the movement of goods from our city streets to our waterways and skies, paving the way for cleaner, more sustainable transportation and delivery of goods throughout the region.”
The Port Authority entered into a partnership with international drone operator Skyports in 2024, after Skyports responded to a 2023 agency request seeking operators interested in making drone cargo delivery a reality in the region. U.K.-based Skyports operates delivery and inspection drone services around the world. Since 2023, it has been providing middle-mile drone deliveries in Scotland for Royal Mail, using drones to deliver mail to rural, remote areas, and in Germany where its drones delivered critical cargo to offshore wind turbines for RWE.
During its upcoming yearlong trial in New York City, a Skyports drone will conduct multiple round-trip flights every weekday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. across the East River between the Downtown Skyport and the Brooklyn Marine Terminal, both of which are managed by NYCEDC on behalf of New York City. The trial will fly nonhazardous, non-sensitive, non-biological cargo such as light pharmaceuticals for a non-profit health system in New York City, with the goal to assess the impact and integration of drone deliveries for medical cargo on improving patient outcomes.
Due to the Manhattan takeoff site’s proximity to other types of aircraft, maritime vessels and infrastructure such as ferry landings, Skyports will comply with NYCEDC guidelines as well as FAA regulations within one of the world’s busiest waterways and most complex airspaces that includes the Port Authority’s network of airports. It also will comply with other regulatory agencies that secure and protect New York City’s harbor, such as the New York Police Department, the Fire Department of New York and the U.S. Coast Guard.
Prior to the start of the yearlong test, the Port Authority, Skyports and NYCEDC conducted extensive outreach to local communities, elected officials and maritime stakeholders to address concerns surrounding the test flights. Public feedback can be submitted via 311 by phone or online.
“We applaud the ongoing effort to support cargo drone operations along the East River through active coordination among vessel operators, pilots, federal partners, and port stakeholders, building on established communication frameworks that keep this complex harbor operating safely each day,” said Stephen Lyman, executive director of the Maritime Association of the Port of New York and New Jersey. “This collaboration is enabling the seamless integration of drone cargo delivery in a way that enhances efficiency, safety, and public benefit across both the waterways and the airspace.”
The upcoming yearlong trial of the Skyports drone is based on the results from a previous successful proof-of-concept test in January 2026, when the drone completed 135 flights, covered 151 miles and transported a total of 252 pounds of dummy cargo. Each one-way trip between Manhattan and Brooklyn took an average of 4 minutes, compared to the same trip by vehicle that would have taken up to 20 minutes. The total distance traveled by the drone would have saved a vehicle from driving up to 660 miles or using 40 gallons of gas. Even with inclement weather during the duration of the two-week test in January, 96 percent of expected flights were completed.
At the conclusion of the yearlong trial, the Port Authority and Skyports will assess the value, viability and impact of the trial and whether it could be expanded to cover similar cargo drone routes in the region. Skyports and the private New York healthcare system will also evaluate the service’s impact on patient outcomes and the possibility of implementing a permanent, regularly scheduled cargo drone service.
The Port Authority’s cargo drone trial flights align with New York City’s ongoing efforts to shift freight from the city’s roadways to the water and sky through use of waterfront sites such as those in these trial flights. In April 2025, NYCEDC announced Downtown Skyport LLC — a joint venture between Skyports Infrastructure (Skyports) and Groupe ADP — as the new operator of the Downtown Skyport, with a goal to transform the site into a multimodal hub of transportation, ready to move goods and people sustainably by water and by air. In September 2025, a $3.5 billion vision plan was advanced to reimagine the Brooklyn Marine Terminal into a modern, all-electric maritime hub and vibrant mixed-use community.
