Swiss Post’s medical drones lift off again
Starting today (27 January), Swiss Post and Matternet will again be transporting laboratory samples via drone.
The first location to restart operations will be the Ticino EOC hospital group in Lugano.
The decision comes after Swiss Post and Matternet grounded drone operations in May 2019 and initiated an investigation by independent aviation experts on the safety processes of the drone operations. After concluding their investigation, the experts have certified that Swiss Post and drone systems developer Matternet are upholding a high standard of safety. The experts are providing four recommendations. Swiss Post and Matternet have already started to implement them.
Swiss Post and Matternet decided to ground operations after two incidents in 2019. Swiss Post set up an independent board of experienced aviation specialists. Over the past five months or so, the board has critically examined operations and safety processes.
The experts received a comprehensive insight into Matternet’s processes and documents.
In December 2019, the expert board concluded its investigations. It has essentially issued a good report for Swiss Post and Matternet: “We certify that Swiss Post and Matternet maintain high safety standards and a high level of safety awareness. The processes that were examined were at a high standard even before the incidents. There are no reasons why flight operations should not be resumed”, says Prof. Michel Guillaume, Head of the Centre for Aviation at the Zurich University of Applied Sciences (ZHAW) and a member of the expert board.
