Uber will test using drones for Uber Eats deliveries in some U S markets by the end of this year. This initiative is part of a new partnership with the Israeli startup Flytrex. The partnership will also include a small investment in Flytrex, though Uber has stated the investment amount was not material.
This deal comes at a time when Uber has been re-engaging with technologies it previously developed in-house. The company has been partnering with autonomous vehicle companies like Waymo to offer self-driving rides in cities like Atlanta. Uber is also aiming to bring electric air taxis to its service in the next few years.
Uber first trialed using drones for food deliveries back in 2019. However, the company did not continue with the idea due to regulatory limits on drones and later sold its Elevate aviation division to the air taxi company Joby. The regulatory environment around new types of aircraft is now loosening. Other companies like Zipline are also working to make aerial delivery a part of everyday life.
Flytrex, which works with Uber Eats competitor DoorDash, reports it has made over two hundred thousand deliveries across the United States.