Pigs will fly: Uber Eats to trial drone delivery

Teams with UAV operator Flytrex for service that moves meals in minutes

Flying pigs may soon be on their way to some US households, after rideshare and food delivery behemoth Uber teamed with drone operator Flytrex for food delivery services.

Uber announced the alliance on Thursday and said it expects to commence aerial food deliveries “in Uber Eats pilot markets in the U.S. by the end of the year.”

Flytrex currently operates in North Carolina, Texas, “and other approved locations,” and has already made over 200,000 flying food deliveries. The company says its drones can fly without human control, but all are “operated by FAA-certified remote pilots who monitor every flight from our operations center” and are “ready to take manual control if needed.” Flytrex’s six-rotor craft fly at up to 32 mph (51 km/h) and “typically complete deliveries in under five minutes from takeoff to drop-off.”

A 2023 Flytrex video shows its drones lowering a hook to pick up a bag of food from a restaurant worker, flying to a customer’s home, and lowering the bag to the ground. An older vid states the company’s drones weigh 33 pounds (15kg) and can carry 6.6 pounds (3kg).

Uber’s announcement of its tie-up with Flytrex states “Drone delivery has the potential to significantly reduce delivery times, lower costs, and cut emissions compared to traditional methods—unlocking a future where everything from dinner to daily essentials arrives in minutes, not hours.”

Flytrex seems to have a slightly different position on the cost of drone deliveries, suggesting its service is “competitively priced with traditional delivery services.”

“Many customers find the speed and convenience of drone delivery provides excellent value, especially for urgent orders,” the company’s FAQ states.

Flytrex has also pointed out that there are times it can’t fly drones, in recent job ads for delivery drivers “to make hand deliveries when weather permits us from flying the drone.”

Uber once tried to make flying cars, but sold the business unit developing the tech to an outfit called Joby Aviation in 2020 and also invested in the company. This time around, Uber has again invested in its aviation partner, pumping an undisclosed sum into Flytrex. ®