Matternet's Model M2 drone delivery design has received approval from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), according to The Verge. The model is the first-ever non-military unmanned aircraft to get Type Certification.
The Type Certification by the FAA ensures that the design of the aircraft meets regulatory standards. Over the past four years, the California-based company has been testing its Model M2 drone as part of the FAA's Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) program.
The FAA approval will help Matternet to streamline the process of implementing new networks and getting approvals.
In a statement, the FAA says that the Model M2 drone meets all federal regulations for safe, reliable, and controllable operations. The approval also means that the drone provides a level of safety that is equivalent to the existing airworthiness standards applicable to other aircraft categories.
The Model M2 is a four-rotor drone that can carry four-pound payloads. It can fly at n altitude of 400 feet or lower with a maximum speed of 45mph.
Also Read: How The Drone Delivery Impact The Future Of Shipping Services?
A String of Successful Operations
Before the approval, the company had bouts of successful operations. In 2019, the company partnered with UPS to deliver medical supplies in North Carolina and, later on, in Florida. It then expanded to Switzerland, where it partnered with the Swiss Post to deliver lab samples and blood tests. In the same year, the program was suspended when one of its drones crashed twice in the country.
After that, Matternet announced that it's taking over the Swiss Post's drone delivery program in 2023.
The Rise of Delivery Drones
The approval comes at a time when there are some countries that are starting to accept drones from companies as delivery vehicles. Amazon is already building out its own delivery drone program, and it's aiming to deliver items to customers' homes in under 30 minutes.
With the rise of delivery drones, governments around the world are working to establish safety regulations for their operations. Some places are even looking to ban them. The FAA is also not exempt from the development of drone regulations. In the past two years, the organization has expanded its authority over the drone industry. It started with requiring drone operators to register with the FAA. The FAA also made it mandatory for drones to have a registration number.
The FAA also set rules for drone operations. Drones have become an important player in this decade. If we look at the current events, Amazon and Walmart have been granted a patent to use drones in their stores. Now that the FAA has given the approval, it is likely that we will see more delivery drones over the coming years.
Related Article: Amazon to Start Making Drone Deliveries in Texas in Late 2022
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Written by April Fowell
