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Drone deliveries are making their case in a crisis
It’s no surprise, then, that drone deliveries have taken so long to truly take off worldwide. Take Matternet. Matternet’s contributions could go even further. Matternet’s hospital payloads are given a similar wipe down. The uptick in Wing deliveries isn’t surprising.
UPS launches a drone 'airline' to deliver medical samples
Autonomous delivery drone networks are coming to the US in earnest. UPS and Matternet are launching a drone "airline" that will use the robotic aircraft to carry medical samples between WakeMed's health care facilities in Raleigh, North Carolina. The drone of choice (an M2 quadcopter) can only carry up to 5lbs at distances as long as 12.5 miles, but it should still be faster, cheaper and more consistent than the current system of driving samples across town using cars. They won't have to deal with traffic snarls, after all.
Autonomous delivery drone network set to take flight in Switzerland
Matternet has long used Switzerland as a testing ground for its delivery drone technology, and now it's ramping things up a notch. The company has revealed plans to launch the first permanent autonomous drone delivery network in Switzerland, where its flying robot couriers will shuttle blood and pathology samples between hospital facilities. The trick is the Matternet Station you see above: when a drone lands, the Station locks it into place and swaps out both the battery and the cargo (loaded into boxes by humans, who scan QR codes for access). Stations even have their own mechanisms to manage drone traffic if the skies are busy.
Mercedes backs a startup to shape the future of delivery drones
Mercedes-Benz probably isn't the first name you associate with delivery drones, but it's committing to those robotic couriers in a big way. The automaker has invested in drone logistics developer Matternet, and the two have worked together on a Vision Van concept (above) that would make delivery drones more practical. The electric vehicle amounts to a last-mile launching pad: drones can grab packages from its "fully automated" cargo space and fly a relatively short distance to complete deliveries that would be impractical (or just slow) for a human courier. And when it would connect everyone from the distribution center to recipients, it would manage deliveries that aren't usually feasible today -- same-day delivery at a specific time, for instance, rather than making a best effort.
Swiss Post to start testing delivery drones this month
The Swiss Post might be one of the most advanced postal services in the world within a few years, if its plan to use delivery drones pans out. Here's one good sign for those who want to see that happen: it's slated to begin "testing the commercial use of logistics drones" sometime this month. We first heard about its intention to eventually use the machines for the delivery of small parcels back in April, when one of its program partners, California dronemaker Matternet, announced the project. As you'd expect, the agency will exclusively test several Matternet vehicles, specifically a model called "ONE." It's an autonomous quadcopter designed to follow pre-programmed flight paths and to carry payloads up to 2.2 pounds for over 10 miles in a single charge.
Drones will deliver mail in Switzerland this summer
You know which organization doesn't want to fall behind Amazon, DHL and Alibaba when it comes to drone deliveries? The Swiss Post. Yes, Switzerland's postal service wants to deliver small packages using small drones. In fact, it will start using quadcopters developed by a company called Matternet to drop off its customers' parcels during a pilot program this summer. Matternet ONE can carry anything up to 2.2 pounds for over 12 miles on a single charge, and the Post will put it to the test delivering small things like medicine or documents.
