GATES
An in-depth analysis of current challenges and future prospects for UK drone delivery.
Project details
Full project title: Governance And Trust in Emerging Systems (GATES): An in-depth analysis of current challenges and future prospects for UK drone delivery
Sponsor/Funder: Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC)
Principal Investigator: Professor Michael Lewis (University of Bath)
CTS team members:
Partners:
- University of Bath
- University of Birmingham
- Local Government Association
- Open Skies Cornwall
Start date: 1 April 2023
End date: 30 December 2024
Project summary
GATES is a multi-disciplinary (law, management, public policy, planning) project with an initial empirical focus on the Open Skies Cornwall project. The project aims to design an appropriate governance to enable drone technology to be used for last-mile deliveries. In GATES, ‘Governance’ is defined as ‘the intricate dynamics between organised actors, their resources, interests, and rules for collaboration’.
More specifically, GATES Governance considers the interplay between Unmanned-Aerial-System policy, planning, regulation, and practice. Misaligned governance can stifle innovation and national competitiveness, or introduce risks ranging from noise pollution, privacy breaches, to severe national security threats. There is extensive work on drone trustworthiness, but this focuses, for the most part, on perceived safety or user experience, side-lining a more holistic approach to governance questions.
GATES multidisciplinary research intends to answer two primary questions:
- Where are we now? This aims to establish a foundational understanding of current drone governance, considering its dynamic nature, evidenced by the CAA’s frequent updates.
- Where do we want to be? This explores the potential for ‘smart’ drone governance, especially if operating at scale, combining evaluation of past models and forward-looking engagements with industry experts.