The Trustees present their annual report and financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2024.

The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the accounting policies set out in note 1 to the financial statements and comply with the Charity's governing document, the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005, the Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006 (as amended) and "Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102)" (effective 1 January 2019).

The Thunderbird Project’s key objective is to enable the use of drones to support emergency services. A primary focus is on delivering medical aid to casualties faster than conventional methods; saving precious minutes when lives are at risk. Drones also assist in locating an increasing number of high-risk individuals, ensuring emergency response teams can act with greater speed and precision.

There’s no doubt that eventually all these capabilities will develop, but this project is founded on the passionate belief that by bringing emergency services together through a multi-agency systems approach, with no commercial or institutional bias, we can accelerate this journey - saving more lives, sooner and with few resources.

The Trustees have paid due regard to guidance issued by the Charity Commission in deciding what activities the Charity should undertake.

It is the policy of the Charity that unrestricted funds which have not been designated for a specific use should be maintained at a level equivalent to between three and six month’s expenditure. The Trustees consider that reserves at this level will ensure that, in the event of a significant drop in funding, they will be able to continue the Charity’s current activities while consideration is given to ways in which additional funds may be raised. This level of reserves has been maintained throughout the year.

The charity’s mission is to enable Emergency Service drones to operate Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS), providing life-critical support. The charity is collaborating with the emergency services, CAA and drone operators to build the necessary safety cases to allow drones to fly beyond the visual line of sight (BVLOS) throughout the UK. More details can be found on the charity’s website: https://www.thunderbirdproject.org.uk/

The charity is controlled by its governing document, a Deed of Trust, and constitutes a limited company, limited by guarantee, as defined by the Companies Act 2006.

The Trustees, who are also the directors for the purpose of company law, and who served during the year and up to the date of signature of the financial statements were:

Trustees whose Term of office has been completed may be re-elected at each annual general meeting. In addition, the Trustees may, at any time, appoint any member to be a Trustee. It is the intention of the trustees to recruit a managing Trustee at the start of 2024.

Alongside the Trustees', the Charity is supported in it's operations by two agencies; Ajuno and Frazer-Nash, two consultancy businesses who specialise in using drones and technology as a whole to benefit businesses around the world, which ties into the Charity's activities of using drones to help the community in emergency situations.

The Trustees' report was approved by the Board of Trustees.

I report on the financial statements of the Charity for the year ended 31 December 2024, which are set out on pages 5 to 12.

This report is made solely to the charity’s trustees, as a body, in accordance with section 44 (1)(C) of the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005. My examination has been undertaken so that I might state to the charity’s trustees those matters I am required to state to them in an independent examiner’s report and for no other purpose. To the fullest extent permitted by law, I do not accept or assume responsibility to anyone other than the charity and the charity’s trustees as a body, for my examination, for this report, or for the opinions I have formed.

The charity’s trustees (who are also the directors of the company for the purposes of company law) are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the terms of the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005 and the Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006. The charity's trustees consider that the audit requirement of Regulation 10(1) (a) to (c) of the 2006 Accounts Regulations does not apply. It is my responsibility to examine the accounts as required under section 44(1) (c) of the Act and to state whether particular matters have come to my attention.

My examination is carried out in accordance with Regulation 11 of the 2006 Accounts Regulations. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the financial statements presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the financial statements, and seeks explanations from the trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit, and consequently I do not express an audit opinion on the view given by the financial statements.

Your attention is drawn to the fact that the charity has prepared financial statements in accordance with Accounting and reporting by Charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) in preference to the Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice issued on 1 April 2005 which is referred to in the extant regulations but has now been withdrawn.

I understand that this has been done in order for the financial statements to provide a true and fair view in accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting Practice effective for reporting periods beginning on or after 1 January 2015.

In the course of my examination, no matter has come to my attention:

to keep accounting records in accordance with Section 44(1) (a) of the 2005 Act and Regulation 4 of the 2006 Accounts Regulations

to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records and comply with Regulation 8 of the 2006 Accounts Regulations

to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.

The statement of financial activities includes all gains and losses recognised in the year.

All income and expenditure derive from continuing activities.

The company is entitled to the exemption from the audit requirement contained in section 477 of the Companies Act 2006, for the year ended 31 December 2024.

The directors acknowledge their responsibilities for complying with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 with respect to accounting records and the preparation of financial statements.

The members have not required the company to obtain an audit of its financial statements for the year in question in accordance with section 476.

These financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the provisions applicable to companies subject to the small companies regime.

The Thunderbird Project is a private company limited by guarantee incorporated in Scotland. The registered office is 5 Whitefriars Crescent, Perth, PH2 0PA, United Kingdom.

The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the Charity's governing document, the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005, the Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006 (as amended), FRS 102 “The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland” (“FRS 102”) and the Charities SORP "Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102)" (effective 1 January 2019). The Charity is a Public Benefit Entity as defined by FRS 102.

The Charity has taken advantage of the provisions in the SORP for charities not to prepare a Statement of Cash Flows.

The financial statements are prepared in sterling, which is the functional currency of the Charity. Monetary amounts in these financial statements are rounded to the nearest £.

The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention, modified to include the revaluation of freehold properties and to include investment properties and certain financial instruments at fair value. The principal accounting policies adopted are set out below.

At the time of approving the financial statements, the Trustees have a reasonable expectation that the Charity has adequate resources to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future, as the Charity has received sufficient donations to continue to trade through 2024 and beyond.

The Charity is dependent on donations, therefore, the Trustees are raising further funds and are confident of success in this. Thus, the Trustees consider that the accounts should be prepared on a going concern basis, which assumes that the company will continue in operational existence for the forseeable future.

The validity of the assumption depends on the Charity being able to generate sufficient income from fundraising activities to meet the ongoing running costs of the Charity. If the Charity was unable to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future, adjustments would have to be made to amend the balance sheet values of the assets and liabilities to their recoverable amounts, to provide for further liabilities that might arise and to reclassify fixed assets and long term liabilities as current assets and liabilities.

Unrestricted funds are available for use at the discretion of the Trustees in furtherance of their charitable objectives.

Restricted funds are subject to specific conditions by donors as to how they may be used. The purposes and uses of the restricted funds are set out in the notes to the financial statements.

Cash donations are recognised on receipt. Other donations are recognised once the Charity has been notified of the donation, unless performance conditions require deferral of the amount. Income tax recoverable in relation to donations received under Gift Aid or deeds of covenant is recognised at the time of the donation.

Expenditure is recognised once there is a legal or constructive obligation to transfer economic benefit to a third party, it is probable that a transfer of economic benefits will be required in settlement, and the amount of the obligation can be measured reliably.

Expenditure is classified by activity. The costs of each activity are made up of the total of direct costs and shared costs, including support costs involved in undertaking each activity. Direct costs attributable to a single activity are allocated directly to that activity. Shared costs which contribute to more than one activity and support costs which are not attributable to a single activity are apportioned between those activities on a basis consistent with the use of resources. Central staff costs are allocated on the basis of time spent, and depreciation charges are allocated on the portion of the asset’s use.

Cash and cash equivalents include cash in hand, deposits held at call with banks, other short-term liquid investments with original maturities of three months or less, and bank overdrafts. Bank overdrafts are shown within borrowings in current liabilities.

The Charity has elected to apply the provisions of Section 11 ‘Basic Financial Instruments’ and Section 12 ‘Other Financial Instruments Issues’ of FRS 102 to all of its financial instruments.

Financial instruments are recognised in the Charity's balance sheet when the Charity becomes party to the contractual provisions of the instrument.

Financial assets and liabilities are offset, with the net amounts presented in the financial statements, when there is a legally enforceable right to set off the recognised amounts and there is an intention to settle on a net basis or to realise the asset and settle the liability simultaneously.

Basic financial assets, which include debtors and cash and bank balances, are initially measured at transaction price including transaction costs and are subsequently carried at amortised cost using the effective interest method unless the arrangement constitutes a financing transaction, where the transaction is measured at the present value of the future receipts discounted at a market rate of interest. Financial assets classified as receivable within one year are not amortised.

Basic financial liabilities, including creditors and bank loans are initially recognised at transaction price unless the arrangement constitutes a financing transaction, where the debt instrument is measured at the present value of the future payments discounted at a market rate of interest. Financial liabilities classified as payable within one year are not amortised.

Debt instruments are subsequently carried at amortised cost, using the effective interest rate method.

Trade creditors are obligations to pay for goods or services that have been acquired in the ordinary course of operations from suppliers. Amounts payable are classified as current liabilities if payment is due within one year or less. If not, they are presented as non-current liabilities. Trade creditors are recognised initially at transaction price and subsequently measured at amortised cost using the effective interest method.

Financial liabilities are derecognised when the Charity’s contractual obligations expire or are discharged or cancelled.

The cost of any unused holiday entitlement is recognised in the period in which the employee’s services are received.

Termination benefits are recognised immediately as an expense when the Charity is demonstrably committed to terminate the employment of an employee or to provide termination benefits.

In the application of the Charity’s accounting policies, the Trustees are required to make judgements, estimates and assumptions about the carrying amount of assets and liabilities that are not readily apparent from other sources. The estimates and associated assumptions are based on historical experience and other factors that are considered to be relevant. Actual results may differ from these estimates.

The estimates and underlying assumptions are reviewed on an ongoing basis. Revisions to accounting estimates are recognised in the period in which the estimate is revised where the revision affects only that period, or in the period of the revision and future periods where the revision affects both current and future periods.

VAT refunds

Charitable Activities

Charitable Activities

Consultancy

Travel and subsistence

None of the Trustees (or any persons connected with them) received any remuneration during the yeartrue, and none of them were reimbursed for subsistence costs during the year (2023 - 1 Trustee was reimbursed £405 for subsistence costs).

The average monthly number of employees during the year was:

The charity is exempt from tax on income and gains falling within section 505 of the Taxes Act 1988 or section 252 of the Taxation of Chargeable Gains Act 1992 to the extent that these are applied to its charitable objects.

Mr J Bullough (dcd), a former trustee has a loan balance with the Charity of £5,000 (2023: £5,000).

The loan is unsecured, interest free and repayable on demand.