DoorDash launches in-house drone delivery after earning FAA air carrier certification

DoorDash has launched DoorDash Air, its own in-house drone delivery program, after earning FAA Part 135 air carrier certification — making it only the eighth drone operator in the United States to achieve that status.

The Part 135 certificate, granted by the Federal Aviation Administration, is the same commercial air carrier designation airlines and charter operators hold. For drone companies it requires passing a rigorous five-stage evaluation covering aircraft airworthiness, maintenance programs, personnel training, and safety procedures. DoorDash is now authorized to operate commercially and fly beyond visual line of sight at scale without needing a third-party operator as an intermediary.

Built entirely in-house

DoorDash Air was developed by DoorDash Labs, the company's robotics and autonomy division — the same team behind Dot, its wheeled sidewalk delivery robot. The aircraft is American-designed and manufactured, with the majority of components made in the US, a notable contrast to competing drone delivery programs that source hardware overseas.

"We want drone delivery to work for any merchant, anywhere. We're building the full stack," said Harrison Shih, Head of DoorDash Air.

Targeting the mid-range delivery gap

DoorDash's drone program specifically targets 3-to-5-mile deliveries — a range that accounted for more than 20% of DoorDash's order volume in 2025 and is difficult to serve quickly on the ground. In pilot locations, DoorDash Air drove roughly 30% growth in order volume. Average delivery times during the 2025 pilot period ran approximately 25 minutes.

The drones integrate with DoorDash's existing marketplace, operating alongside Dashers, Dot robots, and autonomous vehicle partners in what the company describes as a multi-modal delivery network. Merchants don't need separate infrastructure — orders placed through the standard DoorDash app can route to whichever delivery method is fastest.

Taking on Wing and Prime Air

DoorDash enters a drone delivery market that Alphabet's Wing and Amazon's Prime Air have spent years developing. Both already hold FAA Part 135 certification and have active commercial operations. DoorDash's advantage is its existing merchant network of over 700,000 businesses — drone delivery doesn't need to build demand from scratch.

The company has not yet announced specific cities for the customer rollout, with more details expected later this year. As reported by DoorDash's official newsroom, the program will expand incrementally as the company scales its aircraft fleet and logistics infrastructure.