DoorDash Air is heading to Northern California, with Chipotle, Popeyes and local restaurant Momo N Curry among its first partners. In its September 30 announcement, DoorDash unveiled its own delivery aircraft and said pilot deliveries will begin in the region.
However, this is an early-stage rollout, rather than a nationwide service. DoorDash has not named the participating cities or supplied an exact start date in the announcement. Eligible customers within the service area will order through the DoorDash app.
The reveal follows our coverage of DoorDash Air’s FAA clearance. This time, the company is showing the aircraft and explaining how restaurant handoffs will work.
A delivery system built around the kitchen
Instead of treating the drone as the whole product, DoorDash says it started with loading equipment, packaging and kitchen handoffs. The aim is to let restaurants add aerial delivery without rebuilding their everyday operations.
“Any local business should be able to reach consumers by air,” said Harrison Shih, head of DoorDash Air.
Specifically, the company used its order data to shape both the aircraft and its packaging. DoorDash estimates that about 80% of typical restaurant orders are small and light enough for the drone. Still, that figure does not mean four out of five orders will qualify.
Weather, flight range and other routing considerations further narrow the pool. Also, DoorDash bases the estimate on a limited sample of U.S. restaurant deliveries, with restrictions on distance and size.
The aircraft has six slow-spinning propellers and a winch for pickups and drop-offs. Meanwhile, DoorDash claims cruising noise at delivery height roughly matches a passing car. It also describes failsafe systems that can lower the aircraft to the ground during rare emergencies.
Fast test flights, with limits
In initial tests, DoorDash estimates that deliveries averaged under five minutes from restaurant to doorstep. However, the company says delivery times are not guaranteed. That figure covers a limited sample and should not read as a promise of five-minute ordering, cooking and delivery.
Meanwhile, the app will show preparation time, flight time and the drone’s progress toward a designated delivery spot. DoorDash Air uses the same Autonomous Delivery Platform that coordinates human Dashers, its Dot ground robot and other autonomous partners.
Ultimately, the pilot will put those routing and restaurant-handoff plans into practice. For more context on the competing approaches, our Uber and Zipline drone-delivery coverage examines another push into aerial delivery.
