Uber Technologies and Zipline have announced a partnership to bring autonomous drone delivery to Uber Eats customers across the United States, marking another step toward wider adoption of aerial delivery services.
The companies aim to reach 1 million drone deliveries per day by the end of 2029, with the first deliveries expected to begin later this year. The service will initially launch in markets where Zipline already operates before expanding to dozens of additional U.S. cities.
Uber is also making a strategic investment in Zipline, although financial details were not disclosed. Zipline has completed around 2 million deliveries across four continents and was most recently valued at $7.6 billion after raising $800 million earlier this year.
The company already works with major partners including Walmart, Panera, Chipotle and Wendy’s, giving it an established commercial network for food and retail delivery.
For Uber, the agreement expands its broader strategy of integrating autonomous technologies into its delivery platform. The company previously formed a similar partnership with drone operator Flytrex.
