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DoorDash is partnering with Alphabet’s Wing to offer drone delivery services to select customers in the US.
Why it matters: Drone delivery is expanding rapidly in the US, after federal regulators recently granted several drone-delivery companies permission to fly more freely.
Driving the news: DoorDash will begin delivering fast food from Wendy’s in Christianburg, Virginia using drones in 30 minutes or less.
- The new service follows a pilot program between DoorDash and Wing in Australia that began in 2022. It has since expanded to three locations with over 60 participating merchants.
- With the drones, DoorDash is able to deliver food and essentials in 15 minutes or less.
How it works: Customers living within a 2.5 mile radius of the Wendy’s at 2355 N. Franklin Street will be eligible for drone delivery.
- Customers use the DoorDash app to place their order. Most of the Wendy’s menu qualifies, except for some items that might “exceed volume and weight restrictions”.
- Wendy’s employees grab the food and clip the bag to a cable and load it into the drone delivery box.
- The drone flies autonomously to the destination, while a trained drone operator monitors the flight.
- Upon arrival, the drone lowers the bag to the ground and then releases the clip.
Zooming in: Drone delivery is free for now, but DoorDash might charge for it in the future.
What they’re saying: "At DoorDash, we are committed to advancing last-mile logistics by building a multi-modal delivery platform that serves all sides of our marketplace," Harrison Shih, Senior Director of DoorDash Labs, said in a statement.
- "We're optimistic about the value drone delivery will bring to our platform as we work to offer more efficient, sustainable, and convenient delivery options for consumers."
Looking ahead: DoorDash and Wing plan to expand to more US cities later this year.
