DoorDash launches drone delivery pilot program in US
FILE - DoorDash and Wing's drone delivery pilot program launches in Christiansburg, Virginia. (DoorDash/Wing)
DoorDash and Wing announced the launch of their drone delivery pilot program on Thursday.
Deliveries will be available to select locals in Christiansburg, Virginia, and Wendy’s will be the first restaurant to test out the drones.
"We are excited to expand our partnership with Wing in the U.S. to integrate drone delivery into DoorDash’s ecosystem," said Harrison Shih, senior director of DoorDash Labs. "At DoorDash, we are committed to advancing last-mile logistics by building a multi-modal delivery platform that serves all sides of our marketplace. We’re optimistic about the value drone delivery will bring to our platform as we work to offer more efficient, sustainable, and convenient delivery options for consumers."
This recent pilot program comes after the company launched it in Australia in 2022, which it has since expanded to three other locations in Queensland. And, over 60 different merchants have participated in Wing’s integrated drone delivery service.
Wing has made over 350,000 deliveries across three countries, according to a DoorDash news release.
"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," said Cosimo Leipold, head of partnerships at Wing.
The company hopes to expand their drone delivery service to other U.S. cities later this year.
FILE - Wendy's meal with DoorDash. (Wing/DoorDash)
Beginning Thursday, customers who live within range can order Wendy’s through the DoorDash app, and they can choose the option to have the meal delivered by drone on the checkout page.
The delivery via drone typically takes 30 minutes, DoorDash said.
This story was reported from Los Angeles.