Ameriflight Receives Part 135 Certificate Approval to Offer Matternet’s Drone Delivery Service in the U.S.
DRONELIFE Staff Writer Ian M. Crosby
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Drone delivery system developer matter net announced that they are partners ameri flight has obtained FAA approval to operate Matternet M2 for commercial delivery, becoming the second operator in the United States to obtain such approval. Matternet and Ameriflight will jointly become the nation’s first fully operational large drone airline focused on healthcare and e-commerce delivery.
This development came after the FAA approved Matternet’s M2 aircraft to operate under Ameriflight’s Part 135 certification, and Matternet obtained FAA clearance. type and manufacturing Last year we got M2 certification. The M2 is the first unmanned aerial vehicle to receive such certification. Designed for large-scale operations, a recent FAA exemption allowed his single pilot to operate up to 20 of his M2 drones at Matternet’s California test facility. These capabilities will allow Matternet to expand its drone delivery services and offer its technology to additional customers.
Under the agreement, Ameriflight will operate Matternet M2 for package delivery to Matternet customers nationwide. Through Part 135 certification, Ameriflight adopts Matternet’s software platform to manage its fleet of Matternet M2 drones from a central remote operating center, meeting all regulatory requirements while ensuring the safe and efficient operation of its drone delivery service. make it possible.
“As the only unmanned aerial vehicle to receive both FAA type approval and manufacturing approval, our current focus is on growing our business and expanding into e-commerce in a safe and cost-effective manner. CEO Andreas Raptopoulos. “We are thrilled to partner with Ameriflight, a leading, reliable and proven cargo airline, to enable the nationwide deployment of our drone delivery system. We are now able to provide turnkey access to fast and reliable on-demand delivery capabilities to our customers.This is not a test program or future deployment concept.This is the real, scalable and It’s a safe, drone-based solution.”
Initial customers for this service will consist of hospitals, laboratories and pharmacies, enabling faster and more reliable delivery times. Matternet is also expanding into e-commerce, allowing for faster delivery of single parcels with significantly lower emissions than cars or vans.
Ameriflight averages over 500 departures per day, with over 100,000 total flight hours and an on-time performance rate of over 99%.
“With the addition of this state-of-the-art eco-friendly aircraft and the launch of our UAS division, we will meet the needs of time-sensitive parcels,” said Alan Russinowitz, president and CEO of Ameriflight. “We can expand our service offerings to alternative locations outside the airport.” “Matternet’s technology is at the forefront of autonomous innovation, providing innovative solutions to our customers. We look forward to developing the
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Ian attended Dominican University in California and graduated with a BA in English in 2019. With her lifelong passion for writing and storytelling and keen interest in technology, she now contributes to her DroneLife as a staff writer.
Miriam McNabb, editor-in-chief of DRONELIFE and CEO of professional drone services marketplace JobForDrones, is a keen observer of the emerging drone industry and drone regulatory environment. Miriam is an international speaker and industry recognized figure, with over 3,000 articles focused on the commercial drone space. Miriam has a degree from the University of Chicago and he has over 20 years of experience in high tech sales and marketing new technologies.
For drone industry consulting or writing, email Miriam.
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