Beyond Restoration is a UK-led project that will transform the way land is restored by using long-range, heavy-lift drones to deliver environmental materials across remote and ecologically sensitive areas. Led by AutoSpray Systems Ltd (ASL), the project focuses on restoring peatland, upland, and woodland habitats using precision drone operations that reduce the need for ground-based vehicles or large field teams.
The project builds on a major regulatory milestone: the UK's first commercial-grade permission to fly drones Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) without trial restrictions or segregated airspace. Granted to ASL by the Civil Aviation Authority in 2025, this permission allows safe and legal drone flights across uncontrolled airspace---unlocking the potential for national-scale deployment.
Beyond Restoration uses this unique position to deliver restoration materials such as lime, fertiliser, native seeds, and tree seed across a variety of landscapes. These inputs help to rebalance soil pH, reduce erosion, support native biodiversity, and accelerate the UK's progress toward climate goals. Drone delivery offers a significant environmental advantage by avoiding the damage that heavy equipment or human footfall can cause in fragile environments.
Throughout the project, ASL will partner with organisations such as the National Trust, the Woodland Trust, and Durham County Council (as lead on the Great North Bog initiative) to access real-world sites in England, Scotland and Wales. Each location will receive repeat drone applications tailored to local ecological needs and monitored for impact over time.
The project also includes the UK's first structured training programme for BVLOS drone pilots, enabling up to ten new operators to be qualified and equipped to deliver safe, effective restoration flights nationwide. This new workforce will support future scaling beyond the life of the project.
By combining technology, ecology and regulation, Beyond Restoration creates a fully deployable model for drone-led habitat recovery. It offers a more efficient and less disruptive alternative to helicopters, ground vehicles or manual restoration, and supports government priorities including Net Zero, biodiversity net gain, and green job creation.
This is not a trial---it is the first step in scaling drone-enabled restoration across the UK's most challenging and important natural landscapes.