The skies of California will be seeing drone deliveries of food and commercial goods directly to their doorsteps. This is thanks to Matternet, a global pioneer in urban drone logistics, entering the home delivery market with the launch of Silicon Valley’s first drone-powered delivery service.
Since August 30, the company has been testing its service in a pilot program and will now expand it to Mountain View and Sunnyvale.
The pilot uses a version of its Matternet M2 Drone Delivery platform, which is the only drone delivery system in the US certified by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
A new way to deliver goods
The M2 drones fly over busy areas and use a Tether Drop system to gently lower packages right to customers’ doorsteps, offering a new way to deliver goods.
Andreas Raptopoulos, founder and CEO of Matternet says: “We’re entering the next phase of scale in drone delivery — building a new layer of ultra-efficient logistics infrastructure that will become an essential utility for every household.”
How it works:
- Automated loading: Drones are loaded with packages at a central hub.
- Direct flight: Drones fly straight to the customer’s home.
- Safe package drop: Drones descend over the designated drop zone and release the package using a tether system.
- Quick turnaround: After delivery, drones return to the hub, swap batteries, pick up a new package within 60 seconds, and are ready for the next delivery.
Who is Matternet?
Matternet is a leading provider of commercial drone delivery solutions for urban and suburban areas. The company builds the Matternet M2 drone and software platform, working directly with customers or through partnerships with logistics organizations like UPS.
The business has achieved several industry firsts, including being the first company authorized for commercial Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) drone delivery in Switzerland, and the first to launch routine revenue-generating operations in the US
It is also the first to receive both Type and Production Certifications from the FAA. In partnership with UPS and Ameriflight, Matternet’s drones operate under FAA-approved regulations.
The company has a history of innovation, starting with the world’s first humanitarian drone delivery missions in 2014 and the first healthcare deliveries in Europe in 2017 and in the U.S. in 2019.
To date, Matternet has completed tens of thousands of commercial flights over urban and suburban areas in the US and Europe.
Choosing drones for delivery
There are several reasons drones are being used to deliver packages/cargo. The standout has to be speed of delivery.
Drones fly above ground and are not restricted by traffic. Another factor is deliveries will not be hampered by the issue of labor shortages, and they may be in flight during a lunch hour, where a person has to take breaks – the drone does not.
Drones are cost effective. Imagine a courier fleet’s fuel bill at the end of each month.
The drone does not travel on roads, so there is less wear and tear on the drone as opposed to a vehicle which may be stranded at a service center for a particular problem.
Vehicle repairs can be costly. In addition, drones do not emit toxic fumes.
Battling to access a remote area as a courier? Drones are able to travel above rough terrain, and provide an aerial route straight to the delivery point.
NOW READ: Aramex deploys Dromatics cargo drones for global deliveries
Photo Credit: Matternet
Share this article
About the author
Sharl is a qualified journalist. He has over 10 years’ experience in the media industry, including positions as an editor of a magazine and Business Editor of a daily newspaper. Sharl also has experience in logistics specifically operations, where he worked with global food aid organisations distributing food into Africa. Sharl enjoys writing business stories and human interest pieces.
