DoorDash is building a drone delivery business, including its own aircraft, as part of an effort developed by its robotics and autonomy team, which will eventually operate within the company’s delivery app.
The company unveiled the new business, called DoorDash Air, after receiving a Part 135 air carrier certification from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration. The certification allows the company to legally operate a commercial drone delivery service in the United States.
This does not mean DoorDash’s custom-built drones will be delivering burritos tomorrow, or even next month. The company didn’t provide a detailed timeline for when its aircraft would be used in operations. But before they do, it will likely begin with limited pilot programs in which the unmanned aircraft will travel short distances while remaining within the line of sight of the operator.
If DoorDash wants its drones to fly autonomously over longer distances, it will need the FAA to approve its Beyond Visual Line of Sight technology, a certification that companies like Amazon, Wing and Zipline have received in recent years.
Despite the new program, the food and grocery delivery company is maintaining its existing partnerships with Wing and Flytrex. DoorDash partnered with Alphabet’s Wing in 2022 for a drone delivery program in Australia, later expanded the partnership to a couple of U.S. cities, including Dallas-Fort Worth, in 2024.
