DoorDash starts testing drone deliveries

DoorDash has announced that it has started experimenting with drone deliveries in the US. This follows a number of other companies, including Amazon, who have also been testing out the idea of drone deliveries recently. 

Partnering with Wing, a drone delivery service also associated with Walmart in Australia, DoorDash has initiated drone delivery trials in Christiansburg, Virginia after the success of similar operations in Queensland in 2022.

The pilot drone delivery program by DoorDash has started with the local Wendy’s becoming the pioneer restaurant participating in this phase of experimentation. 

Customers in the vicinity ordering from Wendy’s through DoorDash now have the option of drone delivery during checkout, with the remaining delivery process carrying on as usual.

Upon confirmation of the order, Wendy’s will prepare the items, which will then be picked up and delivered by a Wing drone to the specified destination. Wing has stated that their drones can travel at speeds of up to 65 mph and upon arrival, orders are safely lowered via tether to customers’ doorsteps.

Assurances are given regarding the quality of food in drone deliveries, with Wing noting that deliveries typically take 30 minutes or less. 

According to DoorDash, drone deliveries can be more convenient for customers. They are also more environmentally friendly as it reduces the number of drivers on the road. 

Harrison Shih, senior director of DoorDash Labs noted: “We are excited to expand our partnership with Wing in the U.S. to integrate drone delivery into DoorDash’s ecosystem. At DoorDash, we are committed to advancing last-mile logistics by building a multi-modal delivery platform that serves all sides of our marketplace.” 

Cosimo Leipold, head of partnerships at Wing added: “Wing has now made over 350,000 deliveries across three countries, and looking ahead, we are focused on providing a fast, affordable, and safe service to our partners so they can better serve their customers. 

This moment continues our meaningful expansion of this service in the U.S. and advances our shared goal to better the last-mile delivery ecosystem.”