Matternet, a drone-based delivery solutions provider, has been granted a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) waiver, permitting it to operate up to 20 drones with one remote pilot. However, the waiver is limited to Matternet’s Pittsburg test site in California and requires a visual observer to ensure there are no obstacles in the airspace. 

Matternet’s software and autonomous capabilities have been the key factors in obtaining the waiver.

Consulting firm McKinsey & Company also notes the 20:1 drone-to-pilot ratio is a key requirement for making drone delivery economically competitive. Thus, the waiver is expected to help improve Matternet’s level of automation and the economics of drone delivery.

Analyst QuickTake: Matternet has also received FAA Type Certification for the drones (approves aircraft design and components with regard to safety and reliability; received in September 2022) and Production Certification for the same (verifies that the company possesses the necessary quality management and manufacturing capabilities; received in November 2022) , becoming the first to do so. However, these certifications mostly ensured the hardware aspects of the drones, while software and autonomous capabilities played a major role in obtaining the latest waiver.