DoorDash Is Now an FAA-Certified Drone Delivery Operator

DoorDash has been offering drone delivery since 2022.

But up to now that service has been provided by Wing. And it seems like the effort with Wing must have been successful—because now DoorDash is breaking out on its own.

The company recently announced that it’s received FAA Part 135 certification, allowing it to carry packages by drone as an air carrier. Along with this announcement, it unveiled a new division: DoorDash Air, a section of the company devoted to drone delivery.

Credit: DoorDash Air

DoorDash Is Bringing Drone Delivery In-House

DoorDash has offered drone delivery for years, working with Wing in Australia and the U.S. and later adding Flytrex as a partner.

But DoorDash didn’t operate those flights. Wing and Causey Aviation Unmanned—the Part 135 operator behind Flytrex’s U.S. delivery service—did.

DoorDash’s new Part 135 certification changes that.

If you want to do drone delivery BVLOS (beyond visual line of sight)—which is crucial for scaling delivery networks—getting a Part 135 is the main regulatory path. With the certification, DoorDash can now operate as an air carrier, transporting other people’s property by drone for compensation.

As for drones, DoorDash plans to do everything on its own.

That includes making its own purpose-built drones through DoorDash Labs, as well as developing the ground infrastructure, merchant handoff systems, and software needed to manage deliveries.

Despite all this, the company says its drones will operate alongside—not replace—its existing Wing and Flytrex partnerships.

Illustration of what DoorDash’s delivery drones might look like (this is not a DoorDash image)

Part 135 Is Only the Starting Point

DoorDash is only the eighth U.S. drone operator to receive Part 135 certification.

Here’s the full list:

• Wing Aviation
• UPS Flight Forward
• Amazon Prime Air
• Zipline
• Causey Aviation Unmanned
• DroneUp
• Drone Express, also known as DEXA
• DoorDash

Getting Part 135 certification is a huge milestone for any drone delivery company.

But having it doesn’t give DoorDash blanket permission to start making deliveries anywhere.

Before launching in a specific location, DoorDash may still need specific approvals for its drones and proposed operations, including BVLOS and airspace authorizations. Environmental review and state or local requirements may also apply.

DoorDash hasn’t yet announced where it will launch or revealed any details about its drone—but it’s promised to share more information later this year.

Why DoorDash Wants Its Own Drone Delivery Network

DoorDash sees drones as a way to make deliveries that fall between the ranges best served by Dashers and existing short-distance options.

The company is particularly interested in orders traveling 3-5 miles—a distance DoorDash says is often too far for efficient ground delivery but well suited to drones.

According to DoorDash, its partner-operated drone deliveries averaged 25 minutes in 2025. Some participating locations also saw order volume increase by about 30%, with those gains continuing over the following nine weeks.

DoorDash wants to manage these deliveries through its Autonomous Delivery Platform.

Depending on the order, the platform could assign it to:

• A Dasher
• DoorDash’s Dot ground-delivery robot
• A DoorDash Air drone
• A drone operated by Wing or Flytrex

That multimodal approach reflects a broader shift in the drone delivery industry.

Companies are increasingly focused not only on flying packages, but on integrating drones with merchants, ground transportation, and existing delivery networks.

But DoorDash enters that race with a major advantage: it already connects millions of customers with restaurants, retailers, and Dashers.

Drone Delivery Is Having a Moment

DoorDash’s announcement is part of a broader surge in U.S. drone delivery.

Several recent developments suggest the industry is moving beyond small pilot programs and toward full-scale operations:

• Wing and Walmart are expanding nationwide. The companies recently launched drone delivery in Greater Orlando and plan to operate from more than 270 locations by 2027, potentially reaching over 40 million Americans.
• Flytrex opened its first U.S. drone factory. The new Texas facility will manufacture and maintain delivery drones as Flytrex works toward 60 delivery sites across Dallas–Fort Worth by mid-2027.
• Zipline is delivering prescriptions for Cleveland Clinic. The service recently began making autonomous deliveries to eligible patients in Cleveland’s eastern suburbs, with plans to expand.

These developments represent a trend for drone delivery.

Companies are building factories, integrating drones with major retailers and healthcare systems, and connecting aerial delivery with larger logistics networks.

That helps explain why DoorDash would pursue Part 135 certification instead of continuing to rely entirely on Wing and Flytrex.

Owning its aircraft and flight operation gives DoorDash more control over drone delivery, and more potential profit.

Drone delivery still faces a lot of challenges, from regulatory constraints to developing reliable systems that won’t crash. But DoorDash is betting that the industry has matured enough to make an in-house operation worth the investment.