DoorDash Wins FAA Approval, Launches In-House Drone Delivery

DoorDash has tested drone delivery since 2022 in Australia and later expanded U.S. access through partnerships with Alphabet-owned Wing and Flytrex. The FAA’s Part 135 air carrier certificate is a key regulatory gateway for commercial package delivery. Bringing aircraft development and flight operations in-house gives DoorDash tighter control over a multimodal network that also includes Dashers and ground robots.

On July 29, 2026, DoorDash said its new DoorDash Air unit had become the eighth U.S. drone operator to receive Part 135 certification from the Federal Aviation Administration, with initial in-house deliveries expected in the fall. The company plans to build custom drones and use its AI-powered Autonomous Delivery Platform to assign orders by speed, cost and location. Drone trips under five miles average less than 25 minutes, while apartment runs and larger orders will remain with human Dashers. DoorDash disclosed no investment figure.