Uber is set to test drone deliveries for its Uber Eats service in select U.S. markets by the end of this year, thanks to a new partnership with Israeli startup Flytrex. This collaboration will also involve a small investment in Flytrex, although Uber has indicated that the investment amount is not significant.
This move comes as Uber revisits technologies it previously developed in-house. The company has been collaborating with autonomous vehicle firms like Waymo to provide self-driving rides in cities such as Atlanta and has plans to integrate electric air taxis into its services in the coming years.
Uber initially trialed drone deliveries for food back in 2019 but ultimately abandoned the idea due to regulatory constraints on drone usage. The company later sold its “Elevate” aviation division to air taxi company Joby. However, with the regulatory environment for new aircraft types becoming more favorable, companies like Zipline are now working to make aerial deliveries a common practice.
Flytrex, which also partners with Uber Eats competitor DoorDash, claims to have completed over 200,000 deliveries across the U.S., showcasing its capabilities in the drone delivery space.