DoorDash becomes one of eight certified drone air carriers in the United States
The food delivery company has cleared a five-stage federal process and launched DoorDash Air, its own in-house drone delivery program.
Key points
- DoorDash received FAA Part 135 air carrier certification in 2025, making it one of only eight drone operators in the country to hold the status.
- The company launched DoorDash Air, an in-house drone delivery program built by its internal robotics team, DoorDash Labs.
- Pilot tests in 2025 showed average drone delivery times of 25 minutes, and some partner locations saw order volume grow by roughly 30%.
- More than 20% of DoorDash orders in 2025 traveled three to five miles, a distance the company says drones can cover faster than human couriers.
- DoorDash plans to share rollout details at its Dash Forward event in September 2025.
DoorDash now has permission from the United States government to fly its own delivery drones commercially. The company announced it earned FAA Part 135 certification, the federal licence that allows an operator to run an air carrier service, whether that means passenger planes or, in this case, small unmanned aircraft.
Only eight drone operators in the country hold that certification.
What did DoorDash have to prove to get this?
The approval was not quick or easy. A DoorDash spokesperson told The Robot Report that the process took years and required clearing five separate federal review stages: aircraft airworthiness testing, detailed flight operations and maintenance documentation, an FAA-accepted safety management system, a hazardous materials programme, and additional checks beyond those.
Think of it as the equivalent of a commercial pilot's licence, but for an entire fleet and the company operating it.
Why build its own drones instead of just partnering?
DoorDash already works with Wing, Alphabet's drone delivery subsidiary, for some flights. But the company is now building its own aircraft inside DoorDash Labs, its internal robotics and autonomy team.
The reasoning is practical. DoorDash wants its routing software, called the Autonomous Delivery Platform, to send each order to whichever delivery method is fastest: a human courier (a Dasher), a ground robot called Dot, a drone, or an autonomous vehicle from a third-party partner. Building its own drones gives it direct control over one piece of that network.
The company also says it plans to design and build its drones in the United States using mostly American-made components.
What does this mean for the people who actually place orders?
The immediate answer is: not much yet. DoorDash has not said which cities will get drone service or when.
But the problem drones are meant to solve is real. In 2025, more than 20% of orders on the platform covered three to five miles. Those trips took nearly 25% longer than shorter runs, mainly because matching a human Dasher to a midrange route is slow. Routing those orders to drones frees Dashers to stay close to busy restaurant clusters where they can complete short deliveries back to back.
Pilot tests show the idea works. Drone deliveries averaged 25 minutes, and some test locations saw order volume climb by about 30%, with that lift holding for nine weeks after the pilot launched.
For customers, faster midrange deliveries and potentially hotter food are the upside. For Dashers, fewer awkward midrange runs could mean more efficient shifts closer to home.
What happens next?
DoorDash says it will share specifics about where DoorDash Air will launch at its Dash Forward event in September 2025. Until then, drone deliveries remain limited to undisclosed pilot areas.
The certification, though, is already done. That is the hard part.
Common questions
Do I need to do anything differently to get a drone delivery?
Not based on current information. DoorDash says its routing software will automatically assign orders to the best available delivery method, so the choice between a drone and a human courier would happen behind the scenes.
Is a delivery drone safe to have flying near my home?
FAA Part 135 certification requires operators to pass strict airworthiness and safety reviews before any commercial flights. The same federal framework that governs small charter airlines applies here.
