U.S. Drone Delivery Firm Matternet Cleared to Fly in Saudi Arabia

Matternet founder and CEO Andreas Raptopoulos says the company will bring drone delivery to Riyadh, the Saudi capital.

Monday, January 27, 2025 at 02:11 PM ET

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Matternet and its M2 drone were cleared to fly in Saudi Arabia by the country’s General Authority of Civil Aviation. [Courtesy: Matternet]

Key Takeaways:

Matternet, a drone delivery company, has been approved by Saudi Arabia's General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) to operate its M2 drone in Riyadh, establishing autonomous drone delivery as a new layer of city infrastructure.
The M2 drone's approval was based on its unique FAA type and production certificates, making it the only nonmilitary uncrewed aircraft to hold these distinctions.
This move highlights the Middle East, particularly Saudi Arabia, as a key growth market for drone delivery, with Matternet planning to use its network of automated urban landing stations for expansion across the region, U.S., and Europe.

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A Mountain View, California-based drone delivery company just received the green light to begin flying in Saudi Arabia.

Matternet, developer of the M2 drone, on Monday announced that it was cleared to fly by Saudi Arabia’s General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA). In a news release, Andreas Raptopoulos, founder and CEO of Matternet, said the firm will bring drone delivery to Riyadh, the Saudi capital.

Jack Daleo

Jack is a staff writer covering advanced air mobility, including everything from drones to unmanned aircraft systems to space travel—and a whole lot more. He spent close to two years reporting on drone delivery for FreightWaves, covering the biggest news and developments in the space and connecting with industry executives and experts. Jack is also a basketball aficionado, a frequent traveler and a lover of all things logistics.