● Covered by 3 sources · 3 reportsMedium impact3 neutral
DoorDash Launches In-House Drone Delivery Service, DoorDash Air, After FAA Approval
Key points
- DoorDash launched DoorDash Air, an in-house drone delivery service.
- Received Part 135 air carrier certification from the FAA.
- Certification allows commercial drone operations in the U.S.
- Drones and infrastructure developed by DoorDash Labs.
- Previously worked with partners like Alphabet's Wing.
DoorDash Enters Drone Delivery Market with Own Fleet
DoorDash has announced the creation of DoorDash Air, a new drone delivery business that will utilize its own aircraft and operational infrastructure. This move follows the company's receipt of a Part 135 air carrier certification from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). This certification is crucial as it legally permits DoorDash to conduct commercial drone delivery services across the United States.
Internal Development and FAA Certification
The development of DoorDash Air, including its custom-built drones, was handled by the company's robotics and autonomy team, which is part of DoorDash Labs. This team is also responsible for the Dot sidewalk delivery robots. The FAA's Part 135 certification is a significant regulatory hurdle, placing DoorDash among a limited number of operators, including Amazon's Prime Air, Alphabet's Wing, and Zipline, that hold this designation.
While the certification allows for commercial operations, DoorDash has not provided a specific timeline for when its drones will begin widespread deliveries. Initial operations are expected to start with limited pilot programs, likely involving short distances and requiring the drones to remain within the operator's line of sight.
Moving Beyond Partnerships
Prior to establishing DoorDash Air, the company had engaged in drone delivery pilot programs with partners such as Alphabet's Wing in locations like Dallas-Fort Worth, Virginia, and Australia. With its new in-house division, DoorDash will now design and assemble its own drones, specifically tailored for food delivery, and build the necessary ground infrastructure to support these operations. The company aims for drone delivery to be accessible to any merchant, anywhere.
Future Expansion and Regulatory Hurdles
For DoorDash to expand its drone operations to include autonomous flights over longer distances, it will need to secure additional approval from the FAA for Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) technology. This certification has been granted to other drone delivery companies in recent years. Despite the new program, DoorDash stated it will maintain its existing partnerships.
✨ This summary was generated by AI from the outlets' reporting listed below. It is not independently verified and may contain errors — check the original sources. How BrevFeed works →
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How outlets covered it
DoorDash received FAA Part 135 air carrier certification, enabling it to operate its own commercial drone delivery service, DoorDash Air. This expansion allows DoorDash to use its internally developed drones for mid-range deliveries, aiming to improve efficiency for both customers and human drivers.
DoorDash has established DoorDash Air, a new drone delivery business that includes its own aircraft, after receiving Part 135 air carrier certification from the FAA. This certification allows DoorDash to legally operate commercial drone delivery services in the United States, expanding its logistics capabilities beyond its existing partnerships.
DoorDash has launched a new drone delivery program called DoorDash Air, having received Part 135 air carrier certification from the FAA. This development allows DoorDash to deploy its own drones for food delivery, moving beyond previous pilot programs with Alphabet's Wing. The company plans to design and assemble its drones internally and build the necessary ground infrastructure for drone operations.