Uber has announced a strategic partnership with Zipline, a California-based drone delivery operator, to integrate unmanned aircraft into its Eats delivery service. The collaboration will begin in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, where Zipline has been conducting deliveries since 2025, before expanding to numerous additional cities across the country.
As part of the arrangement, Uber is making a financial investment in Zipline alongside the operational partnership. Zipline has completed approximately two million deliveries to date and operates delivery networks in multiple countries, including Rwanda, Ghana, Japan, Nigeria, Côte d’Ivoire, and Kenya. The company originally launched operations in Rwanda during 2016 with a focus on delivering medical supplies to remote regions. This deal follows a similar arrangement Uber established with competitor drone operator Flytrex in the previous year, which also included an investment component.
According to Uber, Zipline’s aircraft can transport food orders to customers’ homes within minutes. The rideshare company has stated it is constructing what it describes as the world’s largest integrated network combining human delivery couriers, autonomous sidewalk robots, and drones, with customers matched to the most suitable delivery method based on their location.
The partnership arrives as regulatory conditions become more favorable for drone delivery expansion. A 2025 presidential order prompted the Federal Aviation Administration to propose updated regulations facilitating broader deployment of drone delivery services. Concurrently, competitors are moving forward with their own programs; DoorDash launched its DoorDash Air service after obtaining FAA approval in recent weeks. Industry analysts project the drone delivery market could reach $7.7 billion by 2031, driving companies to secure partnerships with major retailers and grocery chains.
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