DoorDash Launches Drone Delivery Unit After Securing FAA Certification

(RTTNews) - DoorDash Inc (DASH) has unveiled DoorDash Air, a new drone delivery business, after receiving a Part 135 air carrier certification from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

The certification allows the company to legally operate a commercial drone delivery service in the United States. The company says it's developing its own drones through DoorDash Labs, though it hasn't provided a timeline for commercial deployment.

Initial operations are expected to start with limited pilot programs using short-distance flights that remain within an operator's line of sight. To enable autonomous, longer-range deliveries, DoorDash would need additional FAA approval for Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) operations.

DoorDash also plans to continue its existing drone partnerships with Wing and Flytrex, while integrating drones into its broader delivery network alongside human couriers and its Dot autonomous sidewalk robots.

The company says its Autonomous Delivery Platform will decide in real time whether a delivery is best handled by a driver, a drone, or a robot, supporting its long-term strategy to build a fully integrated autonomous delivery ecosystem.