A group of campaigners have flown a drone carrying abortion pills between the Republic and Northern Ireland.

The flight, which took off from Co Louth, was organised by the Alliance for Choice, Rosa, Labour Alternative and Women on Waves.

Labour Alternative spokesperson Courtney Robinson said the flight was a success, adding that there was 'no interception' from police.

A number of activists swallowed the pills when they arrived across the border.

Organisers said the flight is "an all-island act of solidarity between women in the north and the south to highlight the violation of human rights caused by the existing laws that criminalize abortion in both the north and south of Ireland, except in very limited circumstances".

Following the drone fight, a protest is being planned outside the Court of Appeal in Belfast later this afternoon.

The court is to hear an appeal regarding the decision by Northern Ireland's High Court that the country's abortion law breaches the European Convention on Human Rights.

Speaking ahead of this morning's flight, TD Ruth Coppinger expalined: "The medicines used for a medical abortion, mifepristone and misoprostol, have been on the list of essential medicines of the WHO since 2005 and are available in almost all other European countries.

"However, this medicine is still banned and intercepted by Customs in the Republic of Ireland. Both are authorised medications in the UK but are not available in Northern Ireland."

She added that the drone "symbolises the constant traveling of women between the north and south to obtain sexual health services." 

The #abortiondrone was a success. Press release coming soon #repealthe8th #extend1967 pic.twitter.com/jnzwUNVpHw

— ROSA (@RosaWomen) June 21, 2016