DoorDash drone delivery expands across Charlotte suburbs
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Photo: Courtesy of Wing and DoorDash
DoorDash and its drone partner, Wing, have doubled their flying food delivery in the Charlotte area, adding two new operations in Matthews and Indian Trail.
Why it matters: The companies' rapid expansion to reach more than 60,000 households signals Charlotte is embracing futuristic technology, just as more robots (like Waymo's driverless cars) are set to come here.
Zoom out: Advocate Health, of which Atrium Health is a part, recently announced it plans to start delivering prescriptions, labs and medical supplies via Zipline drone in Charlotte in 2027.
Driving the news: Alphabet-owned Wing opened the new drone stations, which it calls "nests," at Sun Valley Commons in Indian Trail and the Lowe's off Matthews Township Parkway.
- At the nest, DoorDash workers pick up orders from nearby businesses and attach the lightweight package to a drone, which then flies up to four miles to the destination, where it lowers the order by tether.
- DoorDash is also delivering via air from Northcross Shopping Center in Huntersville and The Arboretum Shopping Center in south Charlotte, the first location, which opened in May 2025.
- The companies appear to have plans for a University City operation as well, public permit filings show.
💠What they're saying: "Anytime we have friends or family over we'll order smoothies from Smoothie King and they typically arrive in our driveway in 8-10 minutes," Axios reader Brooks Quinn tells us. "On days when I work from home, I order a salad from Chopt and it arrives at my house in under 10 minutes."
- Residents within drone-eligible distance will see the Drone icon when they open the DoorDash app.
Fun fact: Wing tells me the most popular restaurants for drone delivery are Manhattan Bagel, Chopt, Panera and Firehouse Subs.