DoorDash unveiled its purpose-built autonomous drone delivery system, called DoorDash Air, on Wednesday at its annual Dash Forward event. The service includes a custom six-propeller aircraft designed in-house, ground infrastructure for loading and handoffs, and software to orchestrate deliveries alongside human and robotic options.

Pilot drone deliveries are set to begin in Northern California in the coming months. Early partners include national chains Chipotle Mexican Grill and Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen, along with local restaurant Momo N Curry. Consumers in the service area will be able to order from both national favorites and smaller local businesses once the pilots launch.

The drone features slow-spinning propellers to reduce noise to levels similar to a passing car at delivery height. It uses a winch system for precise pickups from restaurant kitchens and drop-offs at customer doorsteps. DoorDash designed the aircraft and supporting systems around its own order data, focusing on the challenges of the first and last ten feet of delivery. Company estimates indicate about 80 percent of typical U.S. restaurant orders on the platform are small and light enough for the drone to carry, subject to factors like distance and weather.

Initial tests showed average delivery times from restaurant to consumer door of under five minutes. The system will use data on ground traffic, weather, and flight times to determine which orders suit drone transport. DoorDash already offers drone delivery through partnerships with operators including Wing and Flytrex, and those efforts will continue alongside the new in-house program.

The announcement follows DoorDash Labs receiving FAA Part 135 air carrier certification in July, which authorizes commercial drone operations. The company emphasized building the entire system from the ground up to fit existing business operations without requiring major changes from merchants. Harrison Shih, head of DoorDash Air, stated that the team started with what people order and how local businesses operate before designing the aircraft.

This development expands DoorDash's multimodal delivery network, which already incorporates sidewalk robots and human dashers. The Northern California pilots will provide early data on scaling drone deliveries for time-sensitive restaurant orders.