DoorDash earns FAA air carrier certification for drone delivery

DoorDash (NYSE: DASH) announced it has received Part 135 air carrier certification from the Federal Aviation Administration, authorizing the company to commercially operate its own drone delivery service. The company is launching DoorDash Air, an in-house drone program developed by DoorDash Labs, its internal robotics and autonomy team.

The FAA Part 135 certification requires operators to pass a five-stage evaluation process covering aircraft airworthiness, maintenance programs, and safety procedures. DoorDash says it is the eighth drone operator to receive this certification.

Harrison Shih, Head of DoorDash Air, said in a statement: "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."

According to the company, drones delivered orders in an average of 25 minutes in 2025. DoorDash also noted that more than 20% of its platform orders in 2025 traveled three to five miles, with those deliveries taking on average nearly 25% longer than shorter trips. The company said some locations participating in drone pilot programs saw order volume grow by roughly 30% in the nine weeks following launch.

DoorDash said its drone is designed and built in the United States, with the majority of components manufactured domestically. The program operates within DoorDash's existing delivery network alongside human couriers, ground robots, and third-party autonomous delivery partners.

The company said it plans to share additional details later in 2026 about the aircraft and how the drone program will integrate with its broader delivery network.

You May Also Be Interested In

• ADARx Pharmaceuticals files for proposed IPO
• SOS Limited receives NYSE non-compliance notice over share price
• Ardent Health revises 2025 non-GAAP figures after SEC staff talks