Swiss Post drone deliveries to resume after crashes

Swiss Post drone deliveries of medical samples to hospitals are to resume on Monday, after being suspended since May 2019 in the wake of two crashes.

This follows a “good report” by experts, Swiss Post said in a press release this week. “After concluding their investigation, the experts have certified that Swiss Post and drone systems developer Matternet are upholding a high standard of safety,” continues the press release. It quotes Michel Guillaume, head of the Centre for Aviation at the Zurich University of Applied Sciences and a member of the expert panel as saying “there are no reasons why flight operations should not be resumed”.

The experts made four recommendations which Swiss Post and Matternet have already started to implement, according to the press release.

The first flights to restart will be to the Ticino EOC hospital group in Lugano. “Important lab samples carried by drone will arrive at their destination in Lugano up to 45 minutes faster than when using road-based couriers,” says Swiss Post.

The drones were grounded after one crashed into Lake Zurich in January 2019 and another one crashed in May. Swiss Post, which initiated the investigation, says the experts received “a comprehensive insight into Matternet’s processes and documents”.