If you’re in Switzerland, your post could be winging its way to you by drone.
California-based drone delivery company Matternet has joined forces with the Swiss postal system Swiss Post to develop and test drones that can cross over the country's assorted landscapes – from its expansive lakes to its mountainous terrains.
The Matternet ONE quadrocopter is the Swiss drone of choice. This particular quad drone is capable of holding a package within itself, allowing it to land for easier delivery to the mail receiver.
The quadrocopter is designed for transporting cargo of “up to 1 kilogram over more than 10 kilometers [6 miles] with a single battery charge” and it doesn’t require any additional features, so no attached camera or special hooks.
For those worried about accidentally being knocked out by a falling parcel from a cheeky drone, rest assured – the ONE flies along a pre-programmed flight path derived from cloud software created by Matternet.
Sadly, there’ll be no drone deliveries until at least 2020, as Swiss Post said in a statement: “Until the time of their realistic commercial use in around five years, there are various requirements which need to be clarified.”
Until then, check out the video of the test flight below.
[H/T: Popular Science]