MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif.,
Sept. 22, 2020 /PRNewswire/
-- Today, Matternet, developer of the world's leading urban
drone logistics platform, announced it is expanding operations to
Asia through a new business
partnership with Japan Airlines (JAL). The partnership is to deploy
the Matternet M2 drone system in Tokyo Metropolitan Government's
new "drone logistics business development project", and utilize the
system to assess drone delivery opportunities in Japan. Through proof-of-concept trials, JAL
will accumulate significant flight experience on Matternet's urban
drone delivery platform and work with Matternet to develop the
future of the partnership's drone delivery business.
"We are very excited to expand our operations to Asia and partner with JAL to show the
incredible impact of drone delivery to Japan's cities, starting with the Tokyo metropolitan area," said Andreas Raptopoulos, CEO of Matternet.
"Matternet's drone delivery platform enables extremely fast and
predictable transport of urgent items and stands to revolutionize
how healthcare and e-commerce are delivered in cities and
megacities around the world."
JAL and Matternet will utilize the M2 drone system to transport
prescription pharmaceuticals, medical supplies, and blood units to
stimulate emergency response and disaster relief scenarios. The
trial program aims to operate on a BVLOS route over a dense urban
area in the heart of Tokyo,
transporting items from Mediceo Corp's East Tokyo warehouse to St. Luke's
International Hospital.
"Japan Airlines is eager to explore the future of its air
logistics business with the implementation of drone delivery," said
Tomohiro Nishihata, Japan Airlines'
Managing Executive Officer of Innovation. "We aim to contribute to
improving healthcare and solving logistics issues through our
partnership with Matternet."
Matternet's drone system has been operating around the world
since 2017 through partnerships with Swiss Post and UPS Flight
Forward (UPSFF). In Switzerland,
the system is operating at Lugano's EOC hospital and the University
Hospital Zurich. In the US, operations are taking place at Wake
Forest Baptist Health and WakeMed's flagship hospital and
campus in Raleigh, N.C.
Matternet's technology is also enabling UPSFF to provide drone
delivery service of prescription medicines for The Villages, Florida, one of the U.S.'s
largest retirement communities. The service provides an option for
seniors at higher risk for the Coronavirus infection to receive
prescriptions without going to a store.
About Matternet
Matternet has developed best-in-class
technology for on-demand, aerial delivery in urban environments.
The company provides its technology platform-as-a-service to
healthcare and logistics organizations. In March 2017, Matternet became the first company in
the world to be authorized for commercial BVLOS operations of drone
logistics networks over cities in Switzerland. In March
2019, Matternet and UPS announced a partnership to provide
drone delivery services to US healthcare systems, starting with
WakeMed Health in NC and most recently at Wake Forest Baptist
Health. In October 2019, Matternet's
technology enabled the first (full Part 135 Standard certification)
FAA-Approved Drone Airline, UPS Flight Forward (USPFF), providing
fast expansion to healthcare facilities across the US. To date,
Matternet technology has enabled 10,000+ commercial revenue drone
flights. For more information about Matternet, please
visit: https://mttr.net.
About Japan Airlines
Japan Airlines (JAL) was founded
in 1951 and became the first international airline in Japan. A member of the oneworld® alliance, the
airline now reaches 430 airports in 66 countries and regions
together with its codeshare partners. Awarded as one of the most
punctual major international airlines and a certified 5-Star
Airline by Skytrax, JAL is committed to providing customers with
the highest levels of flight safety and quality in every aspect of
its service, and aims to become one of the most preferred and
valued airlines in the world. JAL aims to develop a new type of
service in the air transportation industry, utilizing new UAV
technology, by delivering medical care and achieving key
sustainable development goals.
Press Contact
Jenny Russo
jenny@matternet.us
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SOURCE Matternet