Drone Innovation Partnership Project (DIP)

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The Drone Innovation Partnership (DIP) is an initiative dedicated to shaping the future of drones and urban air mobility in Dublin. This two-year collaboration, launched in October 2024, brings together expertise from Dublin City Council, Maynooth University, Lero (the Research Ireland Centre for Software), and the Irish Aviation Authority.

The DIP aims to prepare Dublin for the regulated and widespread use of drones in both commercial, public services and civic life, ensuring that these innovative technology can be integrated and scaled up safely and orderly into urban environments, benefiting cities.

For more details on the Drone Innovation Partnership, visit https://droneinnovationpartnership.com or email [email protected] 

Dublin at the Forefront of Innovation

Dublin City Council, through its Drone Unit, has been a pioneer in leveraging drones for public service improvement. From emergency response planning to environmental monitoring and infrastructure inspection, drones have already demonstrated their potential to enhance efficiency, safety, and cost-effectiveness.

The DIP builds on this foundation by fostering collaboration, research, and innovation to position Dublin as a leader in urban air mobility. By aligning with the DCC Drone and Urban Air Mobility Strategy 2024–2029, the partnership ensures that Dublin remains at the forefront of this rapidly evolving field.

  1. Digital Platform
    The DIP is designing a geospatial platform and digital twin of Dublin to support planning and visualisation conflicts and correlations with aim to build consensus, and further explore low-altitude airspace management. This platform integrates multiple datasets, including building footprints, transport networks, and demographics, enabling data-driven decision-making for drone operations.
  2. Stakeholder Engagement
    Actively engaging with civil society, industry, and public sector stakeholders, the DIP is building a governance framework that addresses societal needs, safety concerns, and operational constraints. As well as, raise awareness about the technology, regulations and best practices.
  3. Demonstrators
    Through real-world trials and applications, the DIP explores innovative use cases for drones, including urban planning, environmental monitoring, emergency services, and more. Trials also test solutions for challenges such as noise perception, privacy, and urban airspace management.
  4. Governance Framework
    The project will culminate in a comprehensive governance framework, providing strategic recommendations on regulations, technology adoption, business models, and operational best practices for urban drone services.