DRONAMICS first cargo drone airline to obtain Light UAS Operator Certificate

DRONAMICS, the leading middle-mile cargo drone developer and operator, today announced that it has obtained the EU’s Light UAS Operator Certificate (LUC). The LUC is recognised in all EU member statesand provides drone operators with significant business opportunities across the single market.

The announcement made during EBACE (European Business Aviation Conference Exhibition) comes at a key moment as the company prepares for the first commercial flights of its flagship Black Swan aircraft later this year. Carrying 350 kg at a distance of up to 2,500 km, the Black Swan aims to transform supply chains by making fulfilment more efficient, resulting in cost, time and carbon emission savings.

DRONAMICS is the first cargo drone company to secure the licence granted by the Transport Malta Civil Aviation Directorate (TM – CAD), the country’s Civil Aviation Authority. It allows it to self-authorise flight operations of its Black Swan aircraft across EU countries, including Beyond Visual Line Of Sight (BVLOS) operations.

DRONAMICS plans to scale up its operations and run its first commercial flights out of Malta and Italy later this year. With Malta as its European operations base, DRONAMICS is well placed to operate its first routes over the Mediterranean, linking key hubs across the region.

Transport Malta has been spearheading the advancement of aviation innovation in Europe, thanks to its expertise as a global aviation hub as well as government support for the UAS (Unmanned Aircraft Systems) sector.

“During the past several months, our dedicated CAD inspectors, who did the job diligently, validated our belief in new technologies and innovation within the aviation industry. Since the initial contact with DRONAMICS, the operational concept, the experienced and passionate team, and above all the company mission, made us believe that DRONAMICS will be the pioneer of a new, safe, and exciting era of the drone cargo long range operation. I would also like to thank the Rangelov Brothers and DRONAMICS’ Airline team for selecting Malta for their new LUC and we are proud to have DRONAMICS as our new member of the 9H community.”, Capt. Charles Pace, Director General of Civil Aviation Directorate Transport Malta (TM-CAD)

“Becoming the first cargo drone company to obtain LUC certification is a huge milestone for us and validates years of hard work in developing our unique and market-leading solution. Our team has been involved in numerous AOCs on several continents before, and we are continuously impressed with the world-class professionalism and expertise of Transport Malta, coupled with a pro-innovation mindset. With the support of such a sophisticated and technologically advanced regulator, and with Malta as our European operations base, we are well placed to progress our operations and start serving key routes across the Mediterranean later this year and continue our future expansion so that we can achieve our mission to enable same-day delivery for everyone, everywhere.” – said Sergio Oliveira e Silva, COO of DRONAMICS.

About Transport Malta

Civil Aviation Directorate: The Civil Aviation Directorate within Transport Malta regulates all aviation activities in Malta and is a member of ICAO, EASA, EUROCONTROL and ECAC. The Civil Aviation Directorate ensures that the Maltese air transport industry, in all its aspects, continues to be developed in a safe and efficient manner in order to serve the island’s needs. The Civil Aviation Directorate has a range of responsibilities and offers a selection of services to ensure the safety of those involved and to regulate all practices.

About DRONAMICS

DRONAMICS is the leading developer and operator of large, long-range drones built specifically for cargo. Its flagship Black Swan is able to carry 350kg at a distance of up to 2,500 km / 1550 miles, enabling same-day shipping over very long distances for a variety of industries, from pharma to food, from e-commerce to spare parts. Designed with fuel efficiency in mind, the Black Swan can operate on up to 90% lower emissions than alternative modes of transport, including air freight.

The company’s fast-growing team includes some of the world’s top aerospace and logistics experts and is the winner of numerous awards for innovation, including IATA’s Drone Innovation Award. DRONAMICS is IATA’s first Strategic Partner for drones worldwide and has been named by the European Commission as a Top 10 EU-Africa start-up.