Pause not a permanent withdrawal from drone delivery operations in Ireland, Manna said.

Drone delivery firm Manna is taking a “strategic pause” in operations in Ireland over what it describes as a lack of a clear national framework surrounding the technology.

The Irish company is instead shifting focus to the US, UK and other international markets where “regulatory, and planning frameworks are advancing and commercial drone delivery is accelerating”, it said in a statement. The company already has operational authorisation in both the US and UK and anticipates full authorisation to operate in the United Arab Emirates.

“The absence of a clear national policy framework for commercial drone delivery means there is currently no defined pathway for the sector to scale in Ireland,” Manna said.

“In the absence of such a framework, decisions are assessed locally, creating uncertainty around the planning and infrastructure requirements needed to support commercial drone delivery at scale.” The pause is not a permanent withdrawal from drone delivery operations in Ireland, the company said.

Manna was refused planning permission for drone aerial delivery hub in Dublin’s Dundrum region this week.

Last year, it was refused permission to retain a drone delivery hub in Blanchardstown, meanwhile, Cork City Council has also sent the company letters raising concerns about its operation there.

Despite the supposed regulatory setbacks, Manna has completed more than 300,000 deliveries and partnered with more than 120 Irish businesses.

It has also teamed up with companies such as food delivery platforms JustEat and Deliveroo – and Uber, more recently, primarily servicing parts of Dublin. And last year, it expanded its focus and announced an entry into Cork’s airspace.

“This is a difficult decision because Ireland is where Manna was founded, built and first proven,” said Bobby Healy, the founder and CEO of Manna.

“However, in the absence of a clear national pathway to scale commercial drone delivery, we have to focus our investment in markets where that pathway is now clear.”

Manna has launched and operated drone delivery services in Ireland in Moneygall, Oranmore, Balbriggan, Blanchardstown and Cork, and has expanded services internationally to Finland and Texas.

It has made nearly 90,000 deliveries in its most mature market in Blanchardstown, where Manna has operated since early 2024.

Manna has been at the receiving end of criticism from residents – especially in Dublin 15 – where it runs four sites. Complaints include the frequency of drones, with one telling the Irish Independent that they saw “at least” 50 drones every day, as well as noise and environmental concerns.

According to Manna’s own account, its three planning permissions drew objections from 255 individuals.

Manna currently employs nearly 200 people across engineering, technology, operations and corporate functions in Dublin. It said that future employment and planned expansion at local delivery hubs will not proceed “at this time”. Earlier this year, the company announced around 300 new jobs in the country, alongside a $50m Series B raise.

“This decision does not affect Manna’s continued investment in Ireland, which will remain the company’s primary base for research and development, engineering, robotics, regulatory affairs, customer operations and corporate functions,” Manna clarified.

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