HIGHLIGHTS
- On July 10, the board of RattanIndia Enterprises (RE), a large tech provider that focuses primarily on healthcare, decided to make a strategic investment in Silicon Valley-based Matternet.
- REL has forayed into the deep-tech unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) industry, which is set to transform logistics ecosystems worldwide.
- Matternet has expanded its drone operations in Switzerland and the US and started urban operations in Berlin
FULL ARTICLE
India: A potential market
India is one of the most populous countries in the world with crowded cities and often in a state of congestion. It is an ideal scenario for Matternet drones to bring greater reach, reliability and speed to healthcare, and other everyday needs of the population, while at the same time decreasing pollution and traffic.
On July 10, the board of RattanIndia Enterprises (RE), a large tech provider that focuses primarily on healthcare, decided to make a strategic investment in Silicon Valley-based Matternet, joining other investors including Boeing, Mercedes and Sony.
A representative of RE said:: “With this investment, REL has forayed into the deep-tech unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) industry, which is set to transform logistics ecosystems worldwide.”
The move by RE comes on the heels of new draft drone rules by the Indian government last month, which include a reduced number of required approvals, a faster and paperless approval process and no restrictions on drone operations by foreign-owned companies. And the government plans to create drone corridors for cargo deliveries and establish a drone promotion council, said RE.
Market expansion
Over the past year, Matternet has expanded its drone operations in Switzerland and the US and started urban operations in Berlin. It also formed a partnership with Japan Airlines last September to use its technology for trial projects in Japan for the transport of pharmaceuticals, medical supplies and blood units, starting in the metropolitan Tokyo area.
From its launch Matternet has concentrated on the healthcare sector. Oliver Evans, head of global business strategy, explained that this appeared to be the sector most likely to promote public acceptance of drone operations, particularly in urban environments, paving the way for other commercial applications.
Matternet envisages expansion to start in the B2B sector and extend to B2C applications through a phased approach. Furthermore, Matternet is about to deploy a new launch “station”. This is a “platform” three meters high, which ensures nobody can interfere with the operation, and that it will not interfere with people in the vicinity. The first “station” will be applied in Switzerland shortly.
Minh Đức
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