Matternet secures Light UAS Operator Certificate in Switzerland

Drone delivery specialist, Matternet has been granted a Light UAS Operator Certificate (LUC) by the Swiss Federal Office of Civil Aviation. 

This certification is the first LUC issued by the Swiss regulator for higher-risk “SAIL III” operations, including beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) drone flights over populated areas. 

SAIL stands for Specific Assurance and Integrity Level. Specifically, SAIL III is part of the SORA (Specific Operations Risk Assessment) process, which is used to assess the risk of a particular UAS operation. The SAIL levels range from I to VI, with I representing the lowest risk and VI the highest.

The LUC enables Matternet to self-authorise new operations within Switzerland and the Federal State of Berlin. It should also accelerating the approval process for similar operations throughout the European Union, according to the company.

“We are excited about this certification, which transforms our ability to expand drone delivery operations across Europe,” said Andreas Raptopoulos, founder and CEO of Matternet. “Our close collaboration with FOCA has been instrumental in achieving this milestone. With the power to self-authorise routes, we can rapidly grow our networks and deliver essential goods to hospitals and directly to people’s homes.”

Matternet was the first company to receive BVLOS authorisation for operations over cities in Switzerland in 2017. The firm also holds Type and Production Certifications from the US FAA, along with BVLOS operational approvals from both the US and Swiss regulators, as well as cross-border approvals from Germany’s Luftfahrt-Bundesamt (LBA).

Tom Rehwinkel, head of Regulatory Affairs EMEA at Matternet, said: “Obtaining the LUC required us to demonstrate our robust safety management system to effectively mitigate and manage aviation risks. This certification underscores our commitment to safe and reliable drone delivery operations.”