Founder of drone company Manna, Bobby Healy, has said he plans to contest a council claim his company is using two unauthorised sites in Dublin.

It was reported Fingal County Council is to take action after its inspectors claimed that Manna Air Delivery was operating a launch site at Junction 6 at the M50/N3 motorway intersection without planning permission.

An enforcement notice was issued to Manna Drones, and another went to Propotron Ltd, the owner of the lands.

The council has demanded that the land be restored to its original use as a car park and that the pavement area be returned to its prior condition.

The planning enforcement letter says Manna must pay the council’s investigation costs of €350 the Irish Independent reported.

But Manna, which employs over 150 staff and recently started testing the feasibility of flying drones in harsh conditions in Finland with European delivery firm Wolt, is adamant they will contest the claims.

Mr Healy told Business Plus: "We will absolutely be contesting any suggestion we have done something wrong".

Kevin Houston, head of regulations at Manna, said the company has engaged with local authorities “when appropriate” for each site as advised by its external planning consultants and within the scope of the 2001 Planning Act.

“At Junction 6, a busy hub at the M50/N3 motorway intersection, our drone delivery service supports five independent Irish businesses, operating from just two of the 350 car parking spaces in the complex,” Mr Houston said.

“In Dublin 15, in a year and a half of operating, we have delivered to 36,000 homes in the area.”

He added that drone delivery “is a new and evolving area”, and Manna believes Ireland’s planning framework “should adapt to support innovative infrastructure”.

“We welcome efforts to clarify this in future planning regulations and the forthcoming national drone strategy to be published this year by the Department of Transport,” he said.

Photograph: © Fran Veale