DoorDash is building its own drone delivery business after receiving approval from the Federal Aviation Administration to operate commercial drone deliveries, marking a new step in the company’s push to expand automated delivery services.
The company has received Part 135 air carrier certification from the FAA, allowing it to conduct commercial drone operations. DoorDash’s in-house drone delivery program is called DoorDash Air.
The move gives DoorDash greater control over the technology and infrastructure used to deliver orders by air, rather than relying entirely on outside drone companies.
DoorDash has previously worked with drone delivery operators including Alphabet’s Wing and Israel-based Flytrex. The company is expected to continue those partnerships even as it develops its own drone operations.
The company has not yet announced a specific date for when customers will be able to place orders through its drone delivery service. DoorDash is expected to provide more details about the customer rollout later this year.
DoorDash’s expansion into drone delivery comes as companies across the retail and logistics industries explore autonomous systems to reduce delivery times and improve the efficiency of last-mile operations.
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The company already uses other forms of automated delivery technology, including ground delivery robots. Its expansion into drones gives DoorDash another option for transporting smaller orders, potentially allowing deliveries to bypass traffic and other constraints faced by conventional ground transportation.
According to Axios, DoorDash says drone deliveries covering distances of less than five miles can typically take less than 25 minutes.
The company is also taking a more integrated approach to the technology. DoorDash is working on its own drones as well as the digital and physical infrastructure needed to operate an end-to-end aerial delivery network, according to The Wall Street Journal.
The company has not disclosed how many drones it has built. Its drones are expected to be manufactured in the United States, according to the report.
Drone delivery has faced several challenges in the U.S., including regulatory requirements, operational restrictions and concerns about safety and community acceptance. The FAA certification represents a significant regulatory step for DoorDash as it seeks to expand the use of drones within its delivery network.
The company is entering a market that already includes established drone delivery efforts from companies such as Amazon and Walmart. At the same time, Alphabet’s Wing has also operated commercial drone delivery services in selected markets.
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For DoorDash, building its own drone operation could give the company greater control over delivery routes, fulfillment, and order handoff. At the same time, maintaining relationships with existing drone partners gives it flexibility as the technology develops.
The expansion comes as DoorDash continues to explore ways to automate portions of its delivery network while maintaining its core marketplace and logistics operations.
The FAA approval does not mean that DoorDash’s drone delivery service is immediately available nationwide. Commercial drone operations will remain subject to regulatory requirements and the company’s plans for deployment.
DoorDash’s decision to build an in-house drone business signals its intention to make aerial delivery a more integrated part of its logistics network, potentially adding drones alongside couriers, bicycles and ground-based delivery robots.
The company has yet to disclose the full scale of its planned drone fleet or the markets where DoorDash Air will initially operate.