Zipline charts drone delivery expansion with $600M in new funding

U.S. autonomous drone transportation and logistics startup Zipline said Wednesday it volition acceptable up operations successful Houston and Phoenix aboriginal this year, arsenic portion of an enlargement that volition beryllium propelled by $600 cardinal successful caller investment. 

The round, which values the institution astatine $7.6 billion, volition beryllium utilized to grow to astatine slightest 4 U.S. states successful 2026, the institution said. Several existing and caller investors, including Fidelity Management & Research Company, Baillie Gifford, Valor Equity Partners and Tiger Global participated successful the backing round.

Founded successful 2014, Zipline developed its ain drone transportation ecosystem, including the logistics software, motorboat and landing systems, and the aircraft. The institution got its commercialized commencement successful 2016 utilizing its autonomous drones to deliver humor successful Rwanda. Today, Zipline’s drones present food, retail, agriculture, and wellness products successful 5 African countries, respective cities successful the United States, and Japan.

Last year, Zipline launched a location transportation work successful the U.S. that lets customers bid nutrient and retail goods via an app. The location transportation work uses Zipline’s Platform 2 drones, which are designed to transportation up to 8 pounds and question to customers wrong a 10-mile radius. It’s Platform 1 drones are larger utilized for long-range deliveries for enterprise, concern and authorities that tin screen 120 miles roundtrip. The P2 level started successful Pea Ridge, Arkansas and the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex with Walmart, and much than a twelve edifice brands, according to Zipline.

It has besides announced plans to motorboat successful Seattle. Other commercialized partners includes Panera, Chipotle, Crumbl, Blaze Pizza, Wendy’s, and Little Caesars.

That geographic enlargement successful the United States has fueled Zipline’s transportation numbers. In 2024, the institution completed 1 cardinal drone deliveries to customers; this week, Zipline said it had surpassed 2 cardinal deliveries. The institution said besides said its U.S. deliveries person grown by astir 15% week implicit week for the past 7 months.

Co-founder and CEO Keller Cliffton views 2026 arsenic the company’s breakout year.

“Autonomous logistics has been maturing for much than a decade, and the past twelvemonth has made it unmistakably wide that erstwhile deliveries are faster, cleaner, safer, and cheaper, request isn’t conscionable high, it grows exponentially,” Cliffton said successful a statement. “In 2026 autonomous logistics volition go an mundane staple for radical crossed respective states successful the U.S. That translation starts with Houston and my location municipality of Phoenix, which we’ll statesman serving aboriginal this year, and past grow to adjacent much places crossed the state passim the year.”

Zipline isn’t unsocial successful the nascent manufacture of drone delivery. Competitors including Flytrex, DroneUp, Amazon Prime Air and Wing, the Alphabet-owned subsidiary, that has besides partnered with Walmart. The institution announced plans to grow to another 150 Walmart stores done 2027.