New Drone Variant to Scale Delivery Operations

The M2, a quad-copter delivery drone designed, developed, and produced by Mountain View, California-based Matternet, has been granted Federal Aviation Administration approval for an amendment to its UAS Type Certification. Subject approval underscores the efficacy of the hardware and software improvements Matternet has made to the platform and heralds the broadening of the machine’s utility.

Matternet founder and CEO Andreas Raptopoulos stated: "We are thrilled with the FAA’s decision to grant this amendment, the first-ever to a UAS Type Certification. As we develop more advanced technology, it's very important that we are able to move quickly through the FAA Type Certification process, the gold standard in airworthiness certification.”

In 2022, Matternet’s M2 became the first non-military unmanned aircraft to achieve Type Certification (September 2022) and Production Certification (November 2022) in the United States. The M2 is the only delivery drone, to date, to be granted a second Type Certificate approval. The aircraft underwent a rigorous FAA evaluation process by which it proved airworthy and eligible for scaled commercial delivery operations.

Matternet is committed to evaluating the ever-evolving ecommerce and Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) delivery markets and availing itself of opportunities apt to encourage mass adoption of drone delivery and drive the industry forward. The company has established a global footprint through strategic partnerships and groundbreaking operations. The amendment to the M2’s Type Certification furthers Matternet’s aspiration to expand its customer base.

The updated version of the M2 aircraft is in production and will be made immediately available. Matternet continues to work on surmounting regulatory hurdles for purpose of facilitating the proliferation of drone delivery networks. The company continues to explore and scale operations throughout the United States, Europe, and the Middle East.

In addition to being the first UAS concern to be granted FAA standard Type- and Production Certification, Matternet was the first company to be granted authorization to operate commercial BVLOS drone-deliveries over cities in Switzerland, and the first to launch routine revenue-generating drone-delivery operations in the U.S. Matternet is currently partnered with UPS and Ameriflight, both of which have received FAA approval to operate the Matternet M2 drone under Part 135 of the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration.

FMI: https://mttr.net