# M3 by Matternet

Canonical page: https://technooptimist.io/aviation/m3
Frontier: [Aviation](https://technooptimist.io/aviation.md) · Field: Delivery drones · Company: [Matternet](https://technooptimist.io/companies/matternet.md)
Stage: Proto (2 of 5: Research → Proto → Pilot → Deploy → Scaling)
Updated: facts checked 2026-10-12
Goal: Carry heavier loads for hospitals and restaurants with autonomous drones. Scaling that needs a certified aircraft and a docking network, not just a working prototype.
Status: Unveiled September 2026; not yet FAA-certified; commercial service targeted for the second half of 2027.
Next milestone: Commercial M3 service begins, target 2027

## Milestones

| Status | Milestone | Date | Slip |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Done | M3 unveiled | 28 Sep 2026 |   |
| Planned | Commercial M3 service begins | 2027 |   |
| Planned | FAA type certification for M3 |   |   |

## Upcoming events

- **2027**: Commercial M3 service begins

## Current obstacles

- **Certification still pending**: The M2 holds FAA type and production certification. The M3 has none yet, and the company says certification could move its 2027 target.

## Physics limits

- **Payload trades against range**: The M3 carries more than the M2 (11 lb vs 4.4 lb) but flies a shorter 10-mile radius than the M2's roughly 12.4 miles. Battery energy per kilogram limits how much weight and distance a drone can combine.

## How it works

### Aircraft: A new drone, not an M2 variant

A larger battery and cargo bay make it a different aircraft. It flies packages up to 11 lb over a 10-mile radius.

### Dock: Charges between flights

A rooftop or ground-level station stores the drone and charges it between flights.

### Portal: Off-grid drop box

A freestanding box takes several packages, so staff can leave them without waiting for the drone.

## Spec sheet

| Spec | M3 | Provenance |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Payload | 5 kg (11 lb) | reported |
| Service radius | 16 km (10 mi) | reported |

Provenance: reported = stated by the company; estimated = our estimate; sample = a sample figure.

## About Matternet

Matternet designs autonomous drone networks for package and medical delivery. The M2 is the first aircraft with FAA Type and Production Certification, carrying 2 kg over 20 km with 60-second battery swaps. Went public May 2026 via SPAC; M3 launched September 2026.

- Only delivery drone company with FAA Type and Production Certification, enabling commercial operations.
- M2 completes delivery cycles in under 60 seconds: land, swap battery, load package, take off.
- Serves healthcare (NHS operations in London), food and retail (Dave's Hot Chicken), and operates in Saudi Arabia and Switzerland.

- Founded: 2011
- Headquarters: US
- Status: public
- Valuation: $59M (private valuation, 2026-05)
- Last round: SPAC merger (Los Altos Ventures Corp.) $34M, May 2026, led by Boeing, Sony, Mercedes-Benz, McKesson Ventures
- Website: https://matternet.com
- People: Andreas Raptopoulos (CEO and Founder)
- Partners, customers, investors: SoftBank Robotics America (partner); AVI-SPL (partner); ANRA Technologies (partner); Amprius (supplier)

Company page: https://technooptimist.io/companies/matternet.md

## Related programs

More from Matternet:

- [M2](https://technooptimist.io/aviation/m2.md) (Deploy)

Everything in Aviation: https://technooptimist.io/aviation.md

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