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DoorDash has officially launched DoorDash Air, its first-party drone delivery program, after receiving Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Part 135 air carrier certification.
The approval allows DoorDash to commercially operate its own drone delivery service instead of relying solely on third-party partners, making it one of only eight drone operators in the US to earn the certification.
The company said the move is designed to further integrate drone deliveries into its existing marketplace while helping local businesses offer faster fulfillment for eligible orders.
DoorDash Air aims to expand drone deliveries
According to DoorDash, earning Part 135 certification follows a five-stage FAA evaluation covering aircraft airworthiness, maintenance programs, operational procedures, and safety requirements needed to operate commercial drone deliveries over communities.
“We want drone delivery to work for any merchant, anywhere. We’re building the full stack to make that possible from the ground infrastructure to the drone itself, and the handoff systems that make it work together seamlessly,” said Harrison Shih, Head of DoorDash Air.
“Advances in hardware, compute, and AI are creating extraordinary new capabilities for local commerce, and becoming a certified air carrier accelerates everything we’re building.”
DoorDash said it has already completed tens of thousands of drone deliveries through previous pilot programs and estimates that drone orders averaged around 25 minutes in 2025. The company also said participating merchants in some pilot locations experienced roughly a 30% increase in DoorDash order volume, with that growth continuing for around nine weeks after launch.
We’re cleared for takeoff! 🛫Say hello to DoorDash Air, our in-house drone delivery program. pic.twitter.com/YhDgWOPmts
— DoorDash (@DoorDash) July 29, 2026
The company believes drones can help address mid-range deliveries between three and five miles, which it says typically take longer because they require matching orders with available Dashers. By assigning those deliveries to drones, DoorDash says Dashers can complete more short-distance orders while remaining closer to merchant locations.
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Unlike previous partnerships, DoorDash Air has been developed by DoorDash Labs, the company’s internal robotics and autonomy division.
DoorDash said its aircraft has been designed specifically for local commerce and will operate alongside Dashers, its Dot delivery robots, and other autonomous delivery partners through its existing Autonomous Delivery Platform.
The company also said it is building the infrastructure required for drone operations, including inventory systems and merchant handoff technology, rather than focusing solely on the aircraft itself.
DoorDash says it will share more information later this year about its drone hardware and how the new service will expand alongside its existing delivery network.
DoorDash’s expansion comes as drone delivery continues gaining momentum across the US. Walmart recently announced plans to dramatically expand its own drone delivery network through a partnership with Wing, bringing the service to hundreds of additional stores and millions more customers.
