Uber Technologies ($UBER) is partnering with drone-delivery company Zipline to bring autonomous deliveries to Uber Eats, with initial launches planned for Dallas and Houston later this year. Uber is also making an undisclosed strategic investment in Zipline, and the companies are targeting one million drone deliveries per day by the end of 2029.
- Zipline expects eligible Uber Eats orders to arrive by drone in roughly 5-10 minutes, compared with Uber's typical delivery time of about 30 minutes.
- The companies plan to expand into dozens of U.S. cities as Zipline scales its network and doubles aircraft manufacturing capacity.
- Zipline has completed more than 2.7 million deliveries and flown more than 135 million autonomous miles across four continents.
- Zipline's existing commercial partners include Walmart, Chipotle, Panera and Wendy's.
- Federal disclosures show Zipline has lobbied on drone and air-cargo policy, including FAA Reauthorization Act implementation, while Uber's lobbying disclosures have also covered drone and unmanned-aircraft issues.
Relevant Companies
- Uber Technologies ($UBER) - Will integrate Zipline deliveries into Uber Eats and is investing in Zipline.
- DoorDash ($DASH) - Competes with Uber Eats and is developing its own drone-delivery program.
- Walmart ($WMT) - Existing Zipline customer using drone delivery in U.S. markets.
Editor’s Note: This is a developing story. This article may be updated as more details become available.
