Manna Secures SAIL III Operational Authorisation from UK Civil Aviation Authority
Manna Air Delivery has become one of the first air delivery companies to receive a SAIL III Operational Authorisation from the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), representing one of the most advanced operational approvals currently granted for uncrewed aircraft operations in the United Kingdom.
The authorisation marks a significant regulatory milestone for Manna and follows a comprehensive assessment process, undertaken with regulatory support from Avtrain, designed to evaluate the safety, operational, technical and organisational capabilities required for advanced drone operations.
Advanced safety and regulatory assurance
Under the Specific Operations Risk Assessment (SORA) framework, SAIL III authorisations are reserved for operations that require a high degree of regulatory scrutiny and demonstration of safety assurance.
Achieving this standard requires operators to provide extensive evidence across operational, technical and organisational domains, supported by detailed risk assessments, safety cases and independent review. The authorisation reflects the UK CAA's confidence that Manna has demonstrated the systems, procedures and governance necessary to conduct advanced uncrewed aircraft operations in accordance with stringent regulatory requirements.
This latest approval builds upon a series of significant regulatory milestones achieved by Manna across Europe and the United States. In 2021, Manna became the first air delivery company in Europe to receive a Light UAS Operator Certificate from the Irish Aviation Authority, providing the ability to self-authorise certain operations under the European regulatory framework. The company has also expanded flight activities into additional European jurisdictions, including Finland, alongside continued regulatory engagement and operational growth internationally.
The assessment process included independent review and support from Marshall in its role as a Recognised Assessment Entity for Flightworthiness, providing an additional layer of technical and operational assurance.
Independent validation of operational maturity
Manna's Head of Regulation Kevin Houston said: "This authorisation represents an important milestone for Manna and reflects the significant effort invested across our organisation to meet the highest standards of safety and operational excellence.
"The UK CAA has established a rigorous and highly professional assessment process for advanced uncrewed aviation operations. Successfully completing that process provides strong independent validation of our systems, procedures, technology and organisational maturity."
Manna would like to thank the teams at the UK CAA, Avtrain and Marshall for their engagement, professionalism, guidance and expertise throughout the detailed assessment process.
The achievement further strengthens Manna's position as one of Europe's leading advanced air mobility operators and a recognised standard bearer for regulatory compliance, safety assurance and operational excellence within the European uncrewed aviation sector.
As regulators across Europe continue developing frameworks for advanced uncrewed aviation operations, robust regulatory approvals will remain central to enabling the safe and scalable integration of uncrewed aircraft into national transport and logistics ecosystems.
Building regulated delivery infrastructure
Manna's regulatory progress comes alongside growing commercial momentum and global adoption of advanced last-mile air delivery. In April 2026, Manna announced a $50 million Series B funding round, bringing total funding to $110 million, to accelerate the scaling of aerial delivery across the United States and Europe.
Manna has also expanded its platform partnerships, adding Uber to existing partnerships with Deliveroo, Just Eat and DoorDash, enabling customers to order through the apps they already use while Manna provides the aerial delivery infrastructure behind the scenes.
Together, these milestones demonstrate that air delivery is moving from trial phase to scaled infrastructure: regulated, commercially integrated and increasingly embedded into the future of suburban last-mile logistics.
About Manna Air Delivery
Manna is an advanced air delivery operator dedicated to making lightning-fast suburban deliveries affordable, green and safe. Its proprietary technology enables safe, sustainable delivery of books, groceries, over-the-counter pharmacy products, meals and everyday essentials in minutes.
Founded in 2018 by Bobby Healy, Manna has raised over $110 million in funding to date.