Skyports Launches BlueWater 2 to Make the UK’s Shipping Industry Cleaner and Smarter

Skyports Drone Services has officially launched BlueWater 2, a bold new step toward greener maritime operations in the United Kingdom. The project aims to prove that drones can make ports cleaner, smarter, and more efficient while cutting the heavy emissions that typically come from boats, helicopters, and trucks.

Supported by Innovate UK and UK SHORE’s Clean Maritime Demonstration Competition, BlueWater 2 builds on the success of the original BlueWater 1 trial earlier this year. This time, Skyports is scaling up with live demonstrations across several UK ports, showing how drones can take over some of the most energy-intensive maritime tasks. Vertical Mag was there and reported.

Cleaning up the ports, one flight at a time

Ports are busy, noisy, and often clouded with exhaust from ships idling or docking. Skyports wants to change that. Beginning this month, drones equipped with pollution sensors will start flying over Portsmouth International Port to measure air quality in real time.

Using a DJI M350 RTK fitted with an Aeromon BH12 measuring device, these drones will detect pollutants like sulfur oxides, nitrogen oxides, and carbon dioxide. The data will flow directly into the Aeromon Cloud Service, allowing port authorities to pinpoint heavy emitters and take immediate action to improve local air quality.

It’s a simple idea, but a powerful one. If drones can monitor ship emissions accurately and continuously, ports could finally have a practical tool to enforce cleaner operations.

Drones as delivery boats? You bet

Skyports also plans to take on offshore logistics, an area long dominated by costly helicopters and fuel-hungry boats. From Predannack Airfield in Cornwall, the company will use its Skyways V2 drone to deliver payloads to moving vessels at sea.

The mission is fully automated and designed to prove that electric drones can safely handle short-distance maritime deliveries. Imagine a future where drones routinely carry spare parts or documents out to ships without anyone having to start an engine. That’s not just convenient, it’s a big win for reducing carbon emissions.

Automated eyes in the sky

In December, Skyports will begin automated surveillance at Portsmouth International Port using the new DJI Dock 2 “drone in a box” setup. The DJI M3DT will fly daily, preprogrammed BVLOS routes while being remotely piloted from Skyports’ operations center in Buckinghamshire.

Ports currently rely on fossil-fueled patrol boats and vehicles for inspections and security checks. Replacing those with autonomous, battery-powered drones could make port operations faster, cleaner, and far more consistent.

Long range maritime surveillance

The last phase of the project will take off in January 2026 from Lydd Airfield, overlooking the Straits of Dover. Here, Skyports will deploy the Quantum Systems Vector drone to perform long-range maritime surveillance in collaboration with the UK’s Maritime and Coastguard Agency.

Equipped with satellite communications and capable of flying long BVLOS missions, this system could one day help monitor fisheries, coastlines, and border activities while drastically reducing fuel costs compared to traditional helicopter surveillance.

Collaboration across land and sea

Skyports is not doing this alone. The project teams up with Consortiq, a respected UAV consultancy, and Stehr Consulting, a systems engineering firm known for its work in maritime decarbonization. Together, they bring both operational expertise and deep technical knowledge to make sure the technology performs safely and delivers real-world value.

Alex Brown, CEO of Skyports Drone Services, summed it up well: “The shipping sector needs to decarbonize and embrace smarter solutions like drones and artificial intelligence. BlueWater 2 addresses this key challenge with a scalable solution that reduces reliance on fuel and emissions-intensive systems.”

BlueWater 2 is funded by the UK Government through the UK Shipping Office for Reducing Emissions program under the Department for Transport. Since 2022, UK SHORE has invested over £230 million in maritime decarbonization technologies, helping the UK lead the transition to Net Zero shipping.

DroneXL’s Take

We’ve seen drones deliver coffee, medical supplies, and even pizzas, but BlueWater 2 takes things to a whole new level. Watching a Skyways drone chase down a cargo ship in the English Channel while a DJI Dock 2 autonomously patrols Portsmouth feels like a glimpse of the future.

This project is not about flashy tech. It is about proving that drones can make industrial operations greener and smarter. If all goes well, Skyports might just redefine what it means to go green at sea. And honestly, it is about time the shipping world caught up with the rest of the drone revolution.

Photo credit: Skyports Drone Services