Matternet brings drone delivery to Silicon Valley

Residents of Silicon Valley can now take delivery of items such as groceries via drone as part of a programme launched by Matternet.

The drone delivery specialist has been running an initial pilot in Mountain View and Sunnyvale since August 30th. Now it will expand its service in the two cities with residents interested in participating able to sign up online. 

“After years of advancing drone delivery in healthcare, we’re excited to launch our first home delivery operation in the heart of Silicon Valley,” said Andreas Raptopoulos, founder and CEO of Matternet. “We’re entering the next phase of scale in drone delivery — building a new layer of ultra-efficient logistics infrastructure that will become an essential utility for every household.”

Matternet is using its M2 Drone Delivery platform to conduct deliveries. The M2 is the only FAA type certified platform for drone delivery in the US, having achieved the feat in late 2022. Flying in controlled airspace over densely populated areas, the M2 drones are equipped with a “tether drop” system, enabling them to lower packages directly onto doorsteps.

The process is fully automated: drones are loaded at a central hub, fly directly to the customer’s home, and descend above a customer drop zone to release the package via the tether. Drones then return to the hub, swap their battery and pick up a new package in under 60 seconds, and take off for their next delivery, claim Matternet.

“The future is finally here — this is the right delivery experience for the digital age,” Raptopoulos added. “It is so fast, it feels like magic. And every delivery means one less trip by car — less congestion in our cities, and fewer emissions in the air we breathe.”

With early feedback positive, the programme lays the groundwork for a broader roll-out as Matternet prepares to expand operations in collaboration with major logistics partners. The firm is partnered with UPS and Ameriflight, who have received approval from the FAA to operate the Matternet M2 under Part 135.