Uber’s Drone Delivery Bet: 1 Million Daily Trips by 2029

Ambitious commitments by DoorDash and now Uber could reshape low-altitude airspace.

Jack Daleo

Monday, August 17, 2026 at 12:30 PM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Travis Tingle

Uber and Zipline are the latest drone delivery partners seeking to scale operations nationwide. [Credit: Zipline]

Key Takeaways:

Uber is partnering with drone manufacturer Zipline and making a strategic investment to rapidly expand drone delivery services, aiming for 1 million daily deliveries by 2029, starting in Dallas and Houston.
Major delivery platforms like Walmart, Amazon, DoorDash, and Uber are embracing small drones to significantly reduce trip times, intensifying competition in low-altitude U.S. airspace.
The widespread scaling of autonomous drone delivery for commercial services largely depends on the FAA's finalization of Part 108, which would allow routine beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) operations, despite ongoing safety debates.

See a mistake? Contact us.

App- and web-based delivery platforms from Walmart, Amazon, DoorDash, and now Uber are embracing small drones to slash trip times in a trend that could reshape low-altitude U.S. airspace.

Uber on Monday announced it is partnering with drone manufacturer and operator Zipline, which is also a partner of Walmart and competitor Wonder, the parent company of Grubhub. By the end of 2029, Uber and Zipline hope to achieve a cadence of 1 million daily drone deliveries, with “goals to expand far beyond that.”