The US company Matternet develops builds and operates drones in the USA and Europe. Since 2017, Matternet's drones have also been in use in Switzerland, transporting blood samples for Swiss Post and hospitals. For these flights to take place, the drones must be regularly maintained, further developed and tested. Since March 2021, the test flights have been taking place at Schmerlat in Schaffhausen. At first glance, it doesn't take much for Matternet's drones to take off on Schmerlat: Only one operator stands on the airfield, who monitors the drone's flight on site. He is connected to Matternet's control centre in Dübendorf, near Zurich. The flight controllers and engineers in the control centre closely monitor the autonomous flight of the logistics drones: they observe the airspace, analyze the transmitted data from the drones and control the flight path. Normally, the drone pilot on-site merely secures operations but can take control of the drone at any time.

Schaffhausen: a good environment for drone flights

What Matternet needs for its regular test flights with drones is a free, wide flying field with as few restrictions as possible. «The advantage of Schmerlat in Schaffhausen is that we are flexible here in terms of our flights. We have hardly any restrictions from flight operations, and at the same time, the spacious airfield offers us various deployment options,» explains Alexander Norman, Global Operations Lead at Matternet. Thus, new operations for the drone flights are carried out and flights at high speeds or longer routes. Further, the drones also climb in less favourable weather conditions to gather new data and insights for operations. The testing in Schaffhausen was made possible by a contact referral from the Greater Zurich Area to the Economic Promotion of the Canton of Schaffhausen. Adrian Stettler and Robin Sticher from the Economic Promotion Team accompanied Matternet in setting up the operation on site. Among other things, they have established contacts with the authorities and continue to be on hand when questions and new needs arise around Alexander Norman's team. 

Schaffhausen - application region for new technologies

Since 2019, tests with drones have been taking place regularly at the Schmerlat airfield in the Canton of Schaffhausen. Universities and companies use the spacious airfield to test their innovative projects. In addition to Matternet, the startup Daedalen and Rapperswil University of Applied Sciences have already been to the airfield with their newly developed drones or drone applications. The test operation is coordinated by the gliding group of Schaffhausen, which is in close contact with the Economic Promotion of the Canton of Schaffhausen to take up the requests and make the test operation possible. With these application possibilities, the Canton of Schaffhausen wants to build the bridge between research and development as well as promote the application possibilities of new technologies in companies.