Manna pauses drone delivery in Ireland over regulations

Drone delivery company Manna is halting its delivery operations in Ireland, citing a lack of clear national regulations and recent local planning refusals. The company announced the strategic pause on June 19, 2026, stating it will now concentrate its growth on the United States, United Kingdom, and other international markets where it sees stronger regulatory progress.

Manna, founded in Ireland in 2019, has completed over 300,000 drone deliveries and partnered with more than 120 local businesses. The company said the absence of a cohesive national policy framework has forced the sector to rely on inconsistent local planning processes, creating uncertainty for scaling infrastructure. This week, Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council refused planning permission for a proposed delivery hub in Dundrum. Last year, the company was also refused permission to retain a hub in Blanchardstown, and Cork City Council has raised concerns about its operations.

"This is a difficult decision because Ireland is where Manna was founded, built and first proven," said founder and CEO Bobby Healy. "However, in the absence of a clear national pathway to scale commercial drone delivery, we have to...