Matternet, a developer of urban drone delivery services, is entering the home delivery market with the launch of the first-ever drone delivery service in Silicon Valley.
Matternet’s technology platform will enable ultra-fast, zero-emissions delivery of food and commercial items to consumers’ homes.
The company has been running an initial pilot since August 30, and now will expand its service in Mountain View and Sunnyvale.
The pilot program leverages a variant of its Matternet M2 Drone Delivery platform, the only Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Type Certified platform for drone delivery in the United States.
Flying in controlled airspace over densely populated areas, the M2 drones are equipped with a Tether Drop system, allowing them to lower packages directly to customers’ doorsteps, providing a completely new delivery experience.
Andreas Raptopoulos, founder and CEO of Matternet, says: “After years of advancing drone delivery in healthcare, we’re excited to launch our first home delivery operation in the heart of Silicon Valley.
“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.”
The process is fully automated: drones are loaded at a central hub, fly directly to the customer’s home, and descend safely 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.
Raptopoulos says: “The future is finally here – this is the right delivery experience for the digital age.
“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.”
Matternet’s drone service offers benefits such as reducing road congestion, minimizing greenhouse gas emissions, and optimizing delivery efficiency with advanced automation – all while ensuring quiet, privacy-respecting operations.
The program lays the groundwork for a broader roll-out as Matternet prepares to expand operations of its home delivery platform in collaboration with major logistics partners.
Early feedback from local residents has been positive, highlighting the speed, convenience, and cutting-edge nature of drone delivery.
