Matternet 20:1 Waiver – DRONELIFE

by DRONELIFE Staff Writer Ian M. Crosby

Last week, leading drone delivery system developer Matternet was granted an FAA waiver that will enable the company to carry out operations that simultaneously deploy a total of 20 aircraft under the control of only a single remote pilot.

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Valid only at Matternet’s Pittsburg, California test site, the 20:1 waiver allows the aircraft to fly beyond the sight of the remote pilot and the visual observer. The visual observer’s presence is required to guarantee that the airspace is clear. This new waiver follows a series of other accomplishments by Matternet, including its recent FAA Type and Production certifications.

The Matternet 20:1 waiver serves as a major milestone in the process of advancing not only Matternet’s level of automation, but also the economics of drone delivery as a whole. While Matternet’s recent FAA certifications have been…