DoorDash says FAA approval lets it operate a commercial drone delivery service in the U.S.
Why it matters: The move could reshape last-mile delivery if drone economics work at scale. It also gives DoorDash a key regulatory green light as it pushes deeper into autonomous logistics.
- DoorDash said on July 29, 2026, it is building an in-house drone delivery business called DoorDash Air.
- The company says FAA Part 135 air carrier certification lets it legally operate a commercial drone delivery service in the U.S.
- DoorDash said the program was built by its robotics and autonomy team and will eventually operate inside the DoorDash app.
- The company is keeping existing drone partnerships with Wing and Flytrex while it develops its own service.
DoorDash is moving deeper into autonomous last-mile delivery. On July 29, 2026, the company said it is building DoorDash Air after receiving FAA Part 135 air carrier certification, which the company says allows it to legally operate a commercial drone delivery service in the United States. TechCrunch reported the announcement.
DoorDash said the new drone program was developed by its robotics and autonomy team and will eventually live inside the DoorDash app. The company did not give a rollout timeline, and TechCrunch reported initial operations would likely begin with limited pilot programs using short-distance flights within visual line of sight.
The certification matters because the FAA says Part 135 authorizes on-demand, unscheduled air service, and the agency’s package-delivery guidance says it is the route used for commercial drone delivery. But the approval does not by itself mean fully autonomous, beyond-visual-line-of-sight delivery at scale.
DoorDash is not starting from zero. It already has U.S. drone partnerships with Wing and Flytrex, and it is keeping those relationships in place as it builds its own operation. DoorDash also expanded its Wing partnership to Charlotte in 2025, after launching a drone pilot in Christiansburg, Virginia, and a Flytrex service in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex.
The drone push sits alongside DoorDash Labs’ other autonomy work, including Dot, a sidewalk delivery robot that DoorDash says is operating in Tempe, Mesa, Gilbert, Chandler and Fremont.
By the numbers
- 6.6 pounds - Flytrex drones could carry up to this weight at launch, DoorDash said.
- 30,000 households - DoorDash said its Flytrex service reached this many households.
- 100,000 residents - DoorDash said its Flytrex service reached this many residents.
Yes, but: FAA Part 135 is a major milestone, but it does not by itself clear the way for fully autonomous, beyond-visual-line-of-sight consumer delivery at scale.
What's next: DoorDash has not disclosed a launch date, city list, aircraft specs or rollout timeline for DoorDash Air. It said initial operations will likely start with limited pilot programs.