OUR SYSTEM — REGULATORY APPROVALS

Certified
& Ready

Aviation and medicine are two of the most highly regulated industries. To operate effectively in those industries, it’s vital to have solid regulatory expertise. Further, in areas where the regulations are unsettled such as unmanned aviation, it’s essential to work collaboratively with the regulators to steer the rulemaking in a favorable direction. Matternet has long recognized the importance of proactively working with the relevant regulatory bodies.

We pioneered the approval methodology

In 2015, Matternet started collaborating with the Swiss aviation authority (FOCA) in the development of what would become the JARUS SORA methodology of approving uncrewed flight operations. In 2017, Matternet received the first SORA approval to fly over a Swiss city, followed the next year with the first approval to fly BVLOS over a major European city (Zurich).

We’re a member of the FAA pilot program

In 2018, Matternet joined the FAA’s Integration Pilot Program which provided accelerated regulatory clearance for select unmanned aircraft operators. Under this program, Matternet was the first delivery drone approved to fly over people, conducted the first commercial/revenue drone delivery in the US, and in conjunction with UPS Flight Forward, was part of the first Standard Part 135 drone delivery flight in the US.

The World’s first standard FAA Type Certificate

In 2022, after four years of working with the FAA, Matternet was awarded the world’s first standard FAA Type Certificate and Production Certificate for an unmanned aircraft. As the global gold standard proof of airworthiness, the Type Certificate has long been a requirement for conducting any type of commercial aviation, from cargo and charter flights up to airline operations. To this day, the Matternet M2 remains the only delivery drone to have achieved this milestone.

Gaining SORA SAIL III approval in Europe

In 2023, Matternet was granted the first SORA SAIL III approval to fly over the center of a major European city (Berlin).

Maintain operations in Europe & USA

Building on the first SORA SAIL III approval in Europe for flight over central Berlin, Matternet has been working through the process to obtain a light UAS operator certificate (LUC). This certificate is analogous to the Part 135 operating certificate in the US, and will allow Matternet to self-approve similar SAIL III operations across Switzerland and ultimately Europe-wide.

What is FAA Certification?

Aircraft: With few exceptions, aircraft used in commercial air carrier operations must have a Type Certificate. Type certification is the approval of the design of the aircraft and all component parts (including propellers, engines, control stations, etc.) and signifies the design is in compliance with applicable airworthiness and noise standards. It’s a rigorous multi-year process that involves FAA examination of every aspect of the aircraft from the design, the manuals, the software, reliability, and flight performance.

Airline: Operational certification applies to how the aircraft is used for delivery. Often referred to as the airline certification, this is designated as Part 121 certification for scheduled passenger-carrying airlines and Part 135 for on-demand charter or cargo airlines. In the US, drone delivery is conducted under Part 135, which has stringent requirements for operations and maintenance manuals, management personnel experience, and pilot certification and training.

Pilot: Every Remote Pilot in Command (RPIC) responsible for commercial drone delivery operations must possess an FAA Remote Pilot certificate as well as undergo rigorous training and regular evaluations.