UAV maker Matternet has made a splash over the past year with a last-mile program involving roaming vans and delivery drones in Switzerland as well as a package delivery system for health care. The company also was involved in a Swiss program to deliver blood samples between two hospitals involving drones.
The company has now completed its latest round of funding, raising $16 million led by Boeing HorizonX Ventures with participation from Swiss Post, Sony Innovation Fund and Levitate Capital.
Matternet said it will use the funding in order to expand its U.S. and global operations in urban environments for delivery drones.
In addition to its health care operation in Switzerland and the partnership with Mercedes-Benz Vans for package delivery, Matternet was one of the companies chosen by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) Integration Pilot Program (IPP) that is helping the U.S. establish methods and practices for drone delivery to meet future demand.
As part of the UAS IPP, Matternet is carrying out drone logistics operations for U.S. hospitals under the plan working with UC San Diego Health and the city of San Diego to establish on-demand transportation of lab samples and medical items between hospital facilities, similar to what it did in Switzerland.
