Uber Invests in Zipline, Launches Drone Delivery in Dallas and Houston, Targets 1 Million Daily by 2029

Uber announced a partnership with and investment in drone delivery startup Zipline. The two plan to launch drone delivery via Uber Eats in Dallas and Houston by the end of 2026. The service will initially roll out in markets where Zipline already operates, with a goal to expand to dozens of U. S. cities. The companies aim to allow millions of users to order lunch, dinner, snacks and other items through the Uber Eats app, with Zipline delivering within minutes. They target 1 million deliveries per day by the end of 2029. The investment amount was not disclosed.

This is Uber's largest foray into drone delivery to date and its first long-term delivery target for the technology. Uber first tested drone delivery in 2019 through its aviation unit Uber Elevate, but sold that unit the following year as the pandemic cut travel demand and the company sought to reduce costs. More recently, Uber has offered drone delivery in Dallas through a partnership with Israeli startup Flytrex and has an agreement with Irish drone operator Manna for European operations. Uber Eats has also experimented with ground delivery robots through partnerships with Serve Robotics and Coco Robotics. This strategy mirrors Uber's approach to autonomous ride-hailing, building a broad partner network rather than developing technology in-house. Uber has committed over US$10 billion to autonomous vehicle companies and related partners.

Amid intensifying competition in food, grocery and retail delivery, other companies are also advancing drone delivery. DoorDash, a rival to Uber Eats, has partnered with several drone operators and received air carrier certification from the U. Federal Aviation Administration in July 2026, clearing a major regulatory hurdle for its own drone delivery program. Wonder, the parent company of Grubhub, has also partnered with Zipline and plans to start drone delivery in Texas in 2027. Large retailers are building their own drone delivery infrastructure. Walmart has partnered with Zipline, Flytrex and Wing, a unit of Alphabet, to deliver goods by air. Amazon designs and operates its own drones entirely in-house.