Royal Mail, Loganair, and BETA Technologies have begun working together to test battery-powered aircraft on postal routes.

The first flight took place between Glasgow and Dundee, carrying letters and parcels to simulate normal mail deliveries. More test flights are planned across Scotland, including routes to Aberdeen, Inverness, Wick, and Orkney.

The aircraft being tested is BETA’s electric plane, designed to take off and land like a conventional aircraft. It can travel up to 336 nautical miles, carry up to 560kg, and recharge in as little as 20-40 minutes.

The trials aim to see whether electric planes could replace some of the flights Royal Mail uses to deliver post to remote areas, especially in the Scottish Highlands and islands where air travel is essential.

If successful, the tests could lead to cleaner, quieter mail deliveries without needing new airport infrastructure, as the aircraft can use existing runways.

Chris Paxton, Strategic Insight and Innovation Manager at Royal Mail, said: "This is an important step towards making electric mail flights a reality for some of the UK’s most remote communities. By working with Loganair and BETA Technologies, we’re proud to be the first UK delivery company to test an electric aircraft, supporting our journey to Net-Zero by 2040 while continuing to serve all 32 million addresses across the UK."