Matternet becomes the first company to self-authorize “SAIL III” BVLOS drone delivery operations over populated areas in Switzerland and Berlin, setting the stage for widespread operational expansion across Europe.

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. — (BUSINESS WIRE) — September 10, 2024 — Matternet, the leading developer of urban drone delivery platforms, announced today that it has been granted a Light UAS Operator Certificate (LUC) by the Swiss Federal Office of Civil Aviation (FOCA). This marks the first LUC issued by the Swiss FOCA for higher-risk "SAIL III" operations, including beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) drone flights over populated areas.

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A Matternet drone flying over Berlin, Germany. (Photo: Business Wire)

The LUC enables Matternet to self-authorize new operations within Switzerland and the Federal State of Berlin, while also accelerating the approval process for similar operations throughout the European Union.

“We are excited about this certification, which transforms our ability to expand drone delivery operations across Europe,” said Andreas Raptopoulos, Founder and CEO of Matternet. “Our close collaboration with FOCA has been instrumental in achieving this milestone. With the power to self-authorize routes, we can rapidly grow our networks and deliver essential goods to hospitals and directly to people's homes.”

This milestone builds on Matternet's history of advanced authorizations, including being the first company to receive BVLOS authorization for operations over cities in Switzerland in 2017. These achievements further enhance its capacity to deploy innovative drone delivery solutions across Europe and solidify its position as a leader in safe and efficient unmanned aerial delivery.

Tom Rehwinkel, Head of Regulatory Affairs EMEA at Matternet, added: “Obtaining the LUC required us to demonstrate our robust safety management system to effectively mitigate and manage aviation risks. This certification underscores our commitment to safe and reliable drone delivery operations.”

Matternet also holds Type and Production Certifications from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), along with BVLOS operational approvals from both the FAA and FOCA, as well as cross-border approvals from Germany's Luftfahrt-Bundesamt (LBA).

About Matternet

Matternet is the leading developer of commercial drone delivery systems for urban and suburban environments. The company builds the Matternet M2 drone and Matternet Software Platform and operates its technology directly for customers or in partnership with logistics organizations, such as UPS. Matternet has achieved many industry firsts, including being the first company to be authorized for commercial Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) drone delivery operations over cities in Switzerland, the first to launch routine revenue-generating operations in the U.S., and the first to achieve standard Type Certification and Production Certification by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration. Matternet is partnered with UPS and Ameriflight, who have received approval from the Federal Aviation Administration to operate the Matternet M2 under Part 135. To date, Matternet technology has enabled tens of thousands of commercial flights over dense urban and suburban environments in the U.S. and Europe.

For more information about Matternet, please visit: https://matternet.com.

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Nick Fox
Senior Managing Director, Sloane & Company
Sloane-Matternet@sloanepr.com