DoorDash Launches Its Own Drone Delivery Business

DoorDash, one of the leading US food delivery platforms, has announced the launch of its new autonomous device-based delivery business called DoorDash Air. This initiative was developed by the company's robotics and autonomy team and will eventually be fully integrated into the main mobile app ecosystem. Techcrunch.com reports this. reports .

According to ixbt.com, the launch of the new direction took place after obtaining the Part 135 air carrier certificate from the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). This official permit grants the company the legal right to perform commercial drone delivery services within the United States. However, this does not mean that custom-built aircraft by DoorDash will immediately begin transporting orders.

Future plans and testing phases

The company has not yet announced specific deadlines for the practical implementation of its new aircraft. In the initial stage, it is planned to launch small-scale testing programs using unmanned aerial devices for short distances while remaining within the direct line of sight of the operator.

If DoorDash wants to ensure fully autonomous long-range flights for its drones, it will need to get Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) technology approved by the FAA. Previously, leading companies such as Amazon, Wing, and Zipline had obtained similar certificates.

Existing partnerships and autonomous robots

Despite the launch of the new program, the delivery giant maintains its current partnerships with Wing and Flytrex. In particular, DoorDash partnered with Alphabet-owned Wing in 2022 for a drone delivery program in Australia and expanded it to US cities like Dallas-Fort Worth in 2024.

The DoorDash Air project was created within the company's research and development division, DoorDash Labs. This division is also behind Dot, an autonomous sidewalk robot introduced in September 2025 that currently operates in the suburbs of Tempe, Mesa, Gilbert, Chandler, Arizona, and Fremont, California.

First-principles approach

The company notes that creating drones and sidewalk robots does not contradict the core business model. As noted in a blog post by DoorDash co-founder and Chief Product Officer Stanley Tang, experts proceeded not from creating the latest autonomous technologies, but from solving real problems facing customers.

From the company's perspective, drones and ground robots are an integral part of the broader delivery network they are building. While physical devices such as a 350-pound robot or a modern drone play an important role, the operating system and software capable of determining how an order is delivered are equally critical.