Uber partners with Zipline for drone food delivery

Uber has announced a partnership with drone delivery specialist Zipline to enhance its Uber Eats service in North America. The collaboration aims to significantly increase delivery speeds, potentially reaching up to ten times faster than traditional human-led delivery methods.

Under this new system, merchants will load orders onto Zipline drones, which will fly directly to the customer's location before delivering items via parachute or a controlled rope descent. While the technology offers rapid service, the drones are currently limited to a maximum payload of approximately 8 pounds (3.6 kg).

Zipline has already established a presence in the United States through partnerships with Walmart, operating in areas such as Texas, Dallas, and Houston. Uber expects to launch its drone delivery service in North America within the current year, focusing on increasing order capacity and potentially reducing operational costs for merchants.