A decade after Amazon introduced the idea of delivering packages with autonomous drones, this service is beginning to take off in some parts of the United States. Thus, the drone delivery company Matternet has started operating first home delivery service with drones from Silicon Valley. The company delivers ultra-fast, zero-emission delivery of small foods and beverages to the homes of consumers in the Mountain View and Sunnyvale areas.
The company already transported medical supplies between healthcare centers
Matternet has been piloting since August 30 and is now expanding its service to all interested consumers. The service runs through the system M2 Drone Delivery, which has certification from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for drone deliveries in the United States.
The company has previously used drones to transport medical supplies between different healthcare centers in Switzerland, Florida and North Carolina.
M2 drones are designed to transport loads up to 2 kilograms at distances up to 20 kilometers over urban and suburban areas. In addition, as the company explains in a statement, they are equipped with a Tether Drop system, which allows packages to be lowered directly to customers’ doors and provide a comfortable and convenient delivery experience.
Matternet notes that the process is completely automated. The drones are loaded at a fulfillment center, fly directly to the resident’s home, and descend over a viable area for delivery and They release the package using a strap. After this, the drones return to the center, change the battery and pick up a new package to make another delivery.
At the moment the service is only available for delivery of chocolates and bars and drinks. The brands listed on the Matternet website are Lindtt, Toblerone, Merci, Tony’s Chocolonely or Unrealamong others. Among the drinks you can order essentially those of Prime.
The current list of products is limited, but the company hopes to expand it soon, Inc. reports, thanks in part to a future agreement with “a great trading partner” which will allow its entire catalog to be available for drone delivery.
Deliveries are currently only available between 12 and 6 pm on Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays.
One more step in the generalization of drone delivery
“After years of advancing drone delivery in the healthcare sector, we are excited to launch our first home delivery operation in the heart of Silicon Valley“, commented Andreas Raptopoulos, Founder and CEO of Matternet, in a statement. “We are building a new layer of ultra-efficient logistics infrastructure that will become an essential service for every household”.
As highlighted by the company, delivery with drones offers benefits such as reducing road congestion, minimizing emissions of greenhouse gases or optimizing delivery efficiency with advanced automation. They also ensure that silent operations and respect for privacy are guaranteed.
The company has also announced that it is already working to expand the operations of its home delivery platform in collaboration with logistics partners. He says early feedback from local residents has been positive, highlighting the speed, convenience and cutting-edge nature of drone delivery.
All in all, Matternet is not the first company to offer a home delivery service with drones. Wing Aviationfrom Alphabet, recently announced a partnership with Serve Robotics to deliver food from restaurants in Dallas, Texas; and Zipline has also been working with Walmart to move products in Fort Worth, also Texas.
