Uber and Zipline target one million Uber Eats drone deliveries per day
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Uber and Zipline are partnering to bring drone delivery to millions of Uber Eats customers. Image courtesy of Uber
Uber is investing in drone delivery company Zipline, with the two companies aiming for one million Uber Eats drone deliveries per day by the end of 2029.
Why it matters: Drone delivery, once a novelty, is becoming more widely available as the technology and regulatory environment have advanced.
What they're saying: "Every great transportation revolution has changed where people live, how businesses operate, and how economies grow," said Keller Cliffton, cofounder of Zipline.
- "Together with Uber, we're taking the next step toward building a world where getting what you need is as fast and effortless as sending a text, no matter where you are."
Zoom in: Zipline drone delivery on Uber Eats will begin in Houston and Dallas before the end of the year, and then expand into dozens of U.S. cities.
Zoom out: The deal is part of Uber's effort to build a flexible hybrid delivery network of couriers, sidewalk robots and drones to match every delivery with the best mode of transportation.
- Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi described customer demand for rapid delivery as "insatiable," per WSJ.
- The company has existing drone partnerships with Flytrex, operating in Dallas, and with Manna in Ireland.
- More broadly, it has more than 30 AV partners across its mobility, delivery and freight businesses.
For Zipline, the deal is a major step toward scaling its delivery operations in the U.S.
- The company, based in San Francisco, got its start delivering medical supplies by drone in Rwanda and now serves medical facilities, retailers and small businesses in the U.S., most notably the Cleveland Clinic, Walmart and Chipotle.
The intrigue: This is the first time Zipline will be fully integrated into a retailer's app. Currently, customers looking to take advantage of drone delivery must download the Zipline app.
- Uber and Zipline did not disclose terms of the deal.
State of play: Other drone companies are also beginning to scale.
- Amazon Prime Air plans to serve communities with 30 million customers by year-end, and expects to deliver half a billion packages by the end of the decade.
- Google-owned Wing is offering drone delivery in nearly 20 U.S. markets through partners including Walmart, DoorDash and Papa Johns. By 2027, Wing expects to be operating at more than 270 Walmart stores, serving more than 40 million Americans.
