Welch Group from the UK is looking out to speed up the usage of drone-enabled logistics for delivery routes that are remote and not very busy. In this context, Welch partners with Iona, which is a drone logistics company based in the UK and Ireland.
The deal comes following a successful live drone exhibition for the Cambridge-based logistics and haulage company in November 2025.
Drone deliveries could just as well be an option on routes where regular automobiles are slow, expensive, or even, for that matter, not possible.
Chris Welch, the managing director of the Welch Group, said, “Our partnership with Iona opens up new opportunities to reach customers in areas where traditional delivery methods can be challenging and impractical. Integrating aerial solutions into our existing network, we’re making our service more flexible and efficient while building a more resilient and future-ready delivery network. The partnership marks an important step toward smarter, more reliable delivery solutions for communities and areas that are often underserved.”
As Welch partners with Iona, it will help focus on finding a solution to one of logistics’ biggest problems of low-volume, long-distance, and limited-access deliveries that cannot justify the time or money when it comes to vans or fleets.
According to Etienne Louvet, who is Iona’s founder and CEO, “At Iona, we believe the solution for more efficient light-cargo deliveries is not bigger vehicles but smarter routing. With vertical takeoff capability and modular cargo systems reaching up to 100 km or 62 miles, our drones handle the routes that vans can’t and are faster, greener, and more efficient.” By way of an addition of an aerial layer to the present logistics networks, the companies look forward to decreasing the operational overhead costs, enhancing the speed of delivery, and also elevating dependability when it comes to critical shipments like medical restocks or even essential spare parts.
Louvet went on to say, “Remote routes do not need bigger vehicles, they need a different system. Automatic aerial delivery through drones redesigns logistics around the route itself, enabling point-to-point movement where roads add hours, not value.”
