Greek businessman Andreas Raptopoulos and his plans for drones that will have a "humanitarian" character, transporting medical supplies to hard-to-reach areas, are at the center of a Guardian.
The idea for his drones' potential for a medical supply network first emerged during a presentation at Singularity University in Silicon Valley. The idea has since evolved into a startup called Matternet, which aims to help people who don't have access to roads year-round.
According to Mr. Raptopoulos, such a system could "overtake" infrastructure construction, just as wireless networks "overtake" wired networks in developing countries. Small unmanned aircraft with eight engines would be used to transport small objects, weighing up to two kilograms, years before the construction of modern road networks to interconnect regions.
The entire system will include the aircraft themselves, landing stations where the packages will be transferred, and the software that will ensure their arrival at their destination. Due to the short battery life, the drones will have to work together: instead of one drone flying for 60 minutes, there will be six, each flying for 10 minutes.
Matternet has conducted trials in Haiti and the Dominican Republic.
According to the Guardian, Matternet has conducted trials in Haiti and the Dominican Republic. Lesotho, which is struggling with an AIDS epidemic, has also been identified as an area where the system could be used to transport samples to rural areas.
As Mr. Raptopoulos notes, when one thinks of all the robotics companies in the world, one realizes that there are not many whose first customer did not come from the armed forces. “We will replace the military with the humanitarian,” he emphasizes.
Most of Matternet's staff is based in an office in Palo Alto, with the rest working from London. Four investors have provided funding to the company, which is looking to raise between $3 million and $5 million in its next funding round.
The first users are targeted at relief services, as well as pharmaceutical and logistics companies. Ideally, bases and drones could be purchased by villages.
"Anyone can set up transportation networks. They are decentralized. They don't need governments and big companies," the Greek businessman emphasizes.
As for the cost, it is estimated at around 7,200 euros per aircraft and 3,600 euros per base. A network of five bases and 10 aircraft in an area, along with installation and training costs, would cost a humanitarian organization around 108,000 euros, the publication reports, citing Mr. Raptopoulos’ estimates. Such a drone would be able to carry a two-kilogram load over a distance of 10 kilometers, in good weather.
