Matternet, a drone delivery company based in California, has expanded its service to include Labor Berlin, a hospital laboratory in Germany. The pilot program kicked-off on November 17 with a permanent launch scheduled for 2021 with the first urban beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) medical drone delivery network in the EU.

Generally, Labor Berlin transports more than 15,000 lab samples daily between its network of 13 hospitals. Three locations will initially test sample deliveries by drones

During the first phase, the companies will work together to optimize the integration of Matternet’s drone delivery services to Labor Berlin’s current workflow. Matternet will also work together with the Air Navigation Service Provider in Germany and drone traffic management (UTM) services providers to ensure the safety of the delivery process.

In January 2020 Matternet raised a USD 5.7 million Series B funding round with intentions to expand into new non-US markets. In September 2020, Matternet expanded its service to Japan via a partnership with Japan Airlines to deliver medical supplies starting in the Tokyo metropolitan area.

Matternet is a medical drone delivery company and operates in partnership with UPS in the USA for medical drone deliveries (under UPS’s Flight Forward Program).