It was able to “initiate a controlled emergency landing and landed on Lake Zurich, according to a statement released by Swiss Post on FridayExternal link. Nobody was hurt, and the drone was later recovered by city of Zurich police, as can be seen here.
However, all drone flights on the scheme were stopped temporarily.
The cause is now known: the Swiss Transportation Safety Investigation Board (STSB) has given the cause of the accident as a short circuit, Swiss Post said.
MatternetExternal link, the American manufacturer, has made several modifications to the drones, which have been approved by officials at the Federal Office of Civil Aviation.
Safety a priority
“Swiss Post and Matternet will now resume flights for their customers in Zurich and Lugano [in southern Switzerland] from 15 April 2019,” the statement said. Swiss Post stressed that safety was “the highest priority”.
“Postal drones” have so far carried out more than 3,000 flights without accident in Lugano, Zurich and Bern. Swiss Post describes itself as a pioneer in Switzerland for autonomous and commercial drones, in the medical domain, saying the service is faster, more flexible and environmentally friendly than ground transportation.
Rescue drones
Also on Friday, Swiss air rescue service Rega announcedExternal link that it had developed a special drone that can search for missing people across large areas. It is equipped with various sensors, such as a thermal camera.
The drone will be used in addition to conventional rescue methods and, for example, be used in cases where the helicopter is grounded due to poor visibility, Rega said.
Rega CEO Ernst Kohle said that Rega had “continually used cutting-edge technology” to further improve air rescue and help people in distress.
Joya Marleen and Baschi named best solo acts at Swiss Music Awards
This content was published on
St. Gallen singer Joya Marleen and Baschi from Basel were named artists of the year at the Swiss Music Awards 2024 on Wednesday night.
Swiss authorities announce cost-cutting in asylum sector
This content was published on
The government notably wants to improve integration into the labour force, particularly for people with protection status S.
Various leaders confirm participation at Ukraine peace conference
This content was published on
The presidents of Poland, Finland, and Latvia and the prime ministers of Spain and Belgium will be at the Swiss-hosted talks in mid-June.
This content was published on
In the winter season up to April 2024, railway and cable car operators ferried 3% more visitors compared to the previous winter, and 5% more than the five-year average.
Rhine flooding: Swiss to invest CHF1 billion with Austria
This content was published on
As part of an international agreement with Austria, the Swiss government wants to pump CHF1 billion ($1.1 billion) into flood protection measures along the Rhine over the next three decades.
Swiss government proposes CHF10 million UNRWA donation
This content was published on
After months of debate, Switzerland plans to give CHF10 million ($11 million) to the UN agency this year, rather than the CHF20 million initially foreseen.
Swiss study: insects mainly migrate at midday and dusk
This content was published on
A study led by the Swiss Ornithological Institute in canton Lucerne is helping to better understand the movement patterns of migratory insects.
Red Cross: 22 staff killed in Middle East since October
This content was published on
The Red Cross and Red Crescent network in Gaza and Israel has lost 22 staff members since last October, the Swiss Red Cross (SRC) said on Wednesday.
This content was published on
Switzerland's "Drone Valley" is home to 80 startups in the field. What are the factors driving their success? And how can we avoid chaos in the skies?
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.