Google-owned Wing Files CAA Plan for Residential Drone Deliveries Around Birmingham

Wing, the drone company owned by Google, has applied to the UK Civil Aviation Authority for an airspace change proposal to trial residential drone deliveries near Birmingham from May, with the scheme set to run for up to three years. The Telegraph reported the filing on November 15, 2026.

Wing's Birmingham Airspace Filing

Documents filed with the CAA show Wing is targeting an area spanning Dudley, West Bromwich and Wolverhampton for its initial scheme. If approved, the trial would let Wing's four-bladed drones deliver groceries and everyday essentials to customers' doorsteps.

A Wing spokesman said: "We are excited to explore expanding our service to more areas in the UK and extending our service to include a trial of residential drone delivery services." He added: "As an early step in that process, Wing has applied for an airspace change proposal with the CAA in the UK."

The spokesman said the trial would "provide valuable data to the CAA on operating in airspace alongside other airspace users, conducting multiple simultaneous operations, and routine automated beyond visual line of sight operations". Wing has already launched drone services in London, carrying blood samples for the NHS between hospitals in the capital.

Wing operates in multiple cities across the US, promising grocery delivery in as little as 30 minutes, and has a partnership with Walmart. In October 2026, Dronelife reported that ANRA, Wing, Manna and Lancashire Fire demonstrated shared airspace operations in Chorley, Lancashire, using different UTM systems, an approach the CAA approved.

The UK launch would put Wing into direct competition with Amazon, which launched its Prime Air service in May, serving around 600 homes around its Darlington warehouse. Amazon has since expanded the scheme to cover around 8,000 households, delivering products weighing up to 2.2kg.

Google's Drone Ambitions Beyond Search

Google is the parent of Wing, and its recent company records, according to akta.pro company records, include a completed $32 billion acquisition of Wiz in March 2026, its largest-ever acquisition, and a July 2026 partnership with Cypress Creek Energy and LG Energy Solution on the Steel River Energy Center in Arkansas, described as the largest solar project in the U.S. at 2.5 GWdc solar and 2.9 GWh battery storage.

Earlier Wing Demonstrations in the UK and US

In October 2026, Naver reported that Wing demonstrated its drone delivery technology with Walmart in Philadelphia on October 19, 2026, and plans to begin service in greater Philadelphia as part of its coast-to-coast expansion with Walmart. Also in October 2026, Robotics & Automation News reported that Lowe's launched drone delivery via Wing and DoorDash, delivering select home improvement items in as fast as 20 minutes, with a pilot live at a Matthews, NC store.

CAA Timetable for Routine Drone Operations

The CAA has been preparing to allow more widespread drone operations that will see aircraft fly beyond the horizon, sharing the sky with planes and other drones, with "routine" operations planned in 2027.