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Uber Eats tests a wild new way to deliver food to customers

Over the past few months, Uber Eats has seen a major increase in consumer demand as delivery becomes more convenient for many on the go.

In Uber’s (UBER) second-quarter earnings report for 2025, it revealed that its delivery business (Uber Eats) saw a whopping 20% year-over-year increase in gross bookings.

During an earnings call on Aug. 6, Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi said that Uber One, a paid subscription service for Uber and Uber Eats, grew by a massive 60% year-over-year during the quarter, contributing to a spike in demand for deliveries.

“Uber One has always been a huge hit as it relates to delivery,” said Khosrowshahi.

Amid heightened consumer momentum, Uber has recently been expanding its services through surprising partnerships to deliver more than food.

For example, last week, Uber said it would partner with Sephora to deliver beauty products through its Uber Eats app. A few days later, Uber also unveiled a similar partnership with DSW, where customers can order shoes and accessories when they browse through Uber Eats.

Uber Eats takeaway delivery cycle courier on 23rd March 2025 in London, United Kingdom.

Mike Kemp/Getty Images

Uber Eats has a surprising new partnership that aims to reshape deliveries

As Uber Eats expands its services, it is also testing an unconventional new way to deliver orders to its customers.

Uber Eats has partnered with Flytrex, a drone company, to pilot drone delivery to select locations in the U.S. by the end of the year. Currently, ​​Flytrex offers drone delivery services in North Carolina and Texas.

In a press release, Uber notes that drone delivery has the “potential to significantly reduce delivery times, lower costs, and cut emissions compared to traditional methods.” It also said that this effort opens the door for daily essentials to be delivered to customers “in minutes, not hours.”

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“Autonomous technology is transforming mobility and delivery faster than ever before,” said Sarfraz Maredia, president of autonomous mobility and delivery at Uber, in the press release. “With Flytrex, we’re entering the next chapter—bringing the speed and sustainability of drone delivery to the Uber Eats platform, at scale, for the first time. Together, we’ll reshape how food, convenience items, and other essentials move through cities.”

This is not the first time Uber Eats has experimented with drone delivery. In 2019, it partnered with McDonald’s to test drone deliveries in San Diego. However, the initiative failed to expand, and Uber ended up selling its aviation division, Uber Elevate, to Joby Aviation in 2020.

Uber Eats’ latest move mirrors a growing trend in retail

Uber Eats’ return to drone delivery gives it more of a competitive edge in the retail space, especially since many retail giants are also increasing their investment in the technology.

In June, Walmart expanded its drone delivery service to five new cities: Atlanta, Charlotte, Houston, Orlando, and Tampa. Meanwhile, Amazon offers drone delivery in two states: Texas and Arizona.

Uber Eats’ top competitor, DoorDash, also expanded its drone delivery service to the U.S. last year, first piloting it in Virginia in partnership with Wing. 

DoorDash later expanded this service to North Carolina in May, and the following month, it partnered with Flytrex to offer drone delivery in Dallas.

Consumers are skeptical of drone deliveries

Many consumers across the country may soon see a dramatic increase in drone delivery services.

Last month, the Federal Aviation Administration proposed a rule that would make it easier for companies to fly drones over longer distances out of the operator’s sight without having to go through a lengthy process to obtain a waiver or exemption.

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“We are making the future of our aviation a reality and unleashing American drone dominance,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy in an Aug. 6 press release announcing the proposed rule. “From drones delivering medicine to unmanned aircraft surveying crops, this technology will fundamentally change the way we interact with the world. Our new rule will reform outdated regulations that were holding innovators back while also enhancing safety in our skies.”

As drone delivery is expected to expand nationwide, many consumers are concerned that the technology could have negative consequences.

According to a survey conducted by Vanderbilt University last year, 70% of Americans are worried that drones may be unsafe or will disturb their neighborhoods, while 74% are concerned that delivery workers will lose their jobs due to drone delivery.

Related: Target announces expansion of convenient service customers love

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