For 20 years Directflight has operated with Royal Navy and Scottish Fishery Patrol Vessels (FPV’s) demonstrating a commitment and capability to provide offshore maritime aerial surveillance in support of UK fisheries regulatory enforcement.  We fly more hours over UK waters every year than any other surveillance operator.

Directflight have utilised this expertise to continually hone their methods and technologies, helping customers to ensure that surveillance assets are deployed to best effect.

 

History

In October 1991 the company was awarded, by the Scottish Fisheries Protection Agency (SFPA), a 5 year contract to operate 2 Cessna F406 surveillance aircraft based at Prestwick airport engaged in fisheries regulatory enforcement. This contract was re-awarded in 1996 and successfully completed in April 2004. In May 2010 the newly formed Marine Scotland (MS) awarded Directflight an interim surveillance contract, based at Inverness Airport, which expired on 31 July 2011.

In 1998, Directflight was awarded by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAFF) an 8 year contract to operate 2 Cessna F406 surveillance aircraft engaged in fisheries regulatory enforcement in English and Welsh waters.  This contract was extended until 2011 when the services to Scotland, England and Wales were combined under a new collaborative arrangement between Marine Scotland and the Marine Management Organisation. 

The new 4 year contract to conduct fisheries surveillance in all UK waters was awarded to Directflight in June 2011, and commenced 1 August 2011.