Uber is adding Zipline’s drones to its Uber Eats network as the companies look to scale drone deliveries across the U.S. The partnership also includes an investment from Uber, although the companies did not disclose its size.
The first Zipline deliveries through Uber Eats are expected by the end of 2026 in markets where the drone company already operates. The partners eventually aim to expand the service to dozens of U.S. cities and reach as many as 1 million drone deliveries per day by the end of 2029.
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Uber Expands Its Autonomous Delivery Strategy
The deal is part of Uber’s broader strategy of partnering with multiple companies developing autonomous transportation technologies. Rather than building all of these systems itself, the company has invested in and added outside providers to its platform.
Uber has followed a similar approach with autonomous vehicles, committing billions of dollars to partnerships across the sector. The strategy allows the company to expand into emerging technologies without developing every system internally.
Drone delivery is not new territory for Uber. The company previously explored the technology through its former Uber Elevate division and returned to the market last year through a partnership and investment in Israeli startup Flytrex.
Faster Deliveries, Bigger Market
Uber expects Zipline’s drones to complete some Uber Eats orders within five to 10 minutes. CEO Dara Khosrowshahi said the company sees rapid delivery as a potential driver of the next phase of growth for Eats.
For Zipline, the partnership provides access to Uber’s large customer and delivery network. The San Francisco-based company recently raised $800 million in an extended Series H round, bringing its valuation to $7.6 billion.
The companies now plan to combine Zipline’s drone technology with Uber Eats’ platform as they work toward making autonomous aerial delivery available to millions of customers.
