After years of experiments and setbacks, Amazon, DoorDash, Uber (with Zipline), and Walmart are rapidly expanding drone delivery trials and services across the U.S., betting the technology can handle lightweight, fast deliveries while navigating safety and regulatory hurdles.
DoorDash launched DoorDash Air after securing FAA certification to operate its own commercial drone service and has completed tens of thousands of drone deliveries to date.
Uber is partnering with Zipline (valued at about $7.6 billion) and aims to integrate drones into Uber Eats, with a target of 1 million drone deliveries per day by the end of 2029.
Amazon says its Prime Air drones can carry eligible products up to five pounds and make deliveries in as little as 30 minutes. The company reported it has delivered hundreds of thousands of packages by drone this year, though that is a small fraction of Amazon's overall U.S. delivery volume. Amazon has faced a long road of regulatory and technical challenges dating back to Jeff Bezos's early public demonstrations.
DoorDash earned FAA certification to run its own commercial drone service and has completed tens of thousands of drone deliveries. The company presents drones as one option in a broader network that still relies mainly on human Dashers and other autonomous solutions. DoorDash says it intends drones to expand merchant reach and operate alongside sidewalk robots and human couriers.
Uber struck a partnership with Zipline, a delivery drone company valued at about $7.6 billion. Under the deal, Uber will integrate Zipline's drones into Uber Eats later this year and has set an ambitious goal of 1 million drone deliveries per day by the end of 2029. Uber's model treats drones as one delivery option within a multi-modal dispatch system.
The story situates Walmart among companies racing to scale drone and autonomous delivery options, as retailers and food-delivery platforms look to extend fast, last-mile choices beyond traditional couriers.
The industry's push follows more than a decade of experiments, mixed results, and public incidents. Reported mishaps include drones colliding with infrastructure, clipping cables, and falling into yards or pools. Companies point to advances in sensors, compute, and detect-and-avoid systems, but regulators, noise complaints, and public-safety concerns remain active constraints.
Even with the recent announcements, drone deliveries are a small portion of total deliveries. Amazon's hundreds of thousands of drone deliveries contrast with roughly 20 million packages delivered by Amazon daily in the U.S. DoorDash notes tens of thousands of drone runs alongside more than 10 billion orders across its broader network. Uber and Zipline's targets suggest an expectation that drones can capture a meaningful share of certain types of light, time-sensitive orders over the next few years.
Amazon is significantly expanding its Prime Air drone delivery service, with plans to reach nearly 500 U.S. cities by the end of 2026.
The e-commerce giant announced it is expanding drone delivery to nearly 500 U.S. cities and towns by the end of this year, a sixfold increase from its current capabilities.
Millions more people may be able to get smaller, lightweight Amazon packages delivered by drones by the end of the year under a plan the company announced Wednesday to expand the airborne shipping to suburban areas in nearly 500 U.S. cities. Customers could receive the drone deliveries in as fast as 30 minutes, Amazon
The delivery company is also making a strategic investment in Zipline as they work to scale the service across the U.S.
Walmart partners with Dunkin' to expand delivery services, challenging DoorDash and Uber Eats with its vast delivery network.
Airbound's ultra-lightweight approach to drone delivery has attracted backing from Greenoaks, DoorDash, and Silicon Valley investor Lachy Groom.
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