Uber Eats will soon begin delivering food by drone in select U.S. markets as part of a new partnership with Flytrex, an autonomous aerial delivery company.
The collaboration, which was announced on Thursday, is Uber’s first investment in drone technology and aims to bring faster, more sustainable food delivery options to customers.
The drone deliveries will roll out in pilot markets before the end of this year and are part of a broader push to diversify the company’s delivery capabilities beyond human couriers, vehicles, and sidewalk robots.
Why It Matters
The move shows how fast the landscape of last-mile delivery is changing with the introduction of autonomous aerial solutions. It’s also an effort to cut delivery times and reduce carbon emissions, aligning with broader industry trends around sustainability and efficiency.
What To Know
Flytrex, which is one of only four companies authorized by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) operations, brings established infrastructure to the partnership.
Flytrex’s FAA certification for BVLOS allows its drones to fly without being directly visible to a human operator, expanding potential coverage areas and streamlining logistics. This makes the drones particularly suitable for suburban environments where previous Flytrex operations have concentrated.
Over the past three years, Flytrex drones have already completed more than 200,000 deliveries to suburban homes in the country, according to the company.
The drone delivery initiative is part of a larger shift at Uber Technologies Inc., which has been expanding into new transport verticals in recent months.
In addition to sidewalk robot deliveries piloted in Los Angeles earlier this year, the company recently announced plans to offer helicopter rides through its app to customers.
Details on exactly where the drone service will launch first remain unclear. When asked by CBS News where the drones will operate or how deliveries will be managed, Uber referenced its past robotic delivery pilots, noting that “there is no consumer price difference between when an AV is dispatched or a courier.”
Uber Eats isn’t the only company investing in drone technology as its competitor DoorDash announced in June a partnership with Flytrex to deliver food in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.
What People Are Saying
Sarfraz Maredia, president of autonomous mobility and delivery at Uber, said in a statement: “Autonomous technology is transforming mobility and delivery faster than ever before. With Flytrex, we’re entering the next chapter—bringing the speed and sustainability of drone delivery to the Uber Eats platform, at scale, for the first time. Together, we’ll reshape how food, convenience items, and other essentials move through cities.”
Noam Bardin, executive chairman of Flytrex, said in a statement: “The promise of autonomous vehicles is here, redefining logistics on the ground and in the air. Autonomous drones are the future of food delivery—fast, affordable, and hands-free…Partnering with Uber—pioneers of ground-based mobility—brings together proven logistics expertise with aerial innovation. Together, we’re building the infrastructure for a future where autonomous systems seamlessly move goods through our communities, making faster, safer, and more sustainable delivery the new standard.”
What Happens Next?
Uber said the pilot drone delivery program will begin in select U.S. cities later this year but did not offer specifics.