600 Million In Funding To Fuel Aggressive Expansion Of Drone Delivery Services

Zipline, a U. S. autonomous drone delivery and logistics startup, is charting an aggressive expansion course, fueled by a $600 million influx of fresh capital. This funding round, which values the company at $7. 6 billion, will propel Zipline’s operations into new territories, including Houston and Phoenix, early this year.

The company’s ambitious plans include expanding to at least four U. S. states in 2026. Zipline’s drone delivery ecosystem, developed in-house, comprises logistics software, launch and landing systems, and aircraft. Since its inception in 2014, the company has made significant strides, including its commercial debut in 2016, delivering blood in Rwanda. Today, Zipline’s drones facilitate the delivery of food, retail, agriculture, and health products across five African countries, several U. S. cities, and Japan. The company’s home delivery service, launched last year, enables customers to order food and retail goods via an app, utilizing Zipline’s Platform 2 drones.

These drones can carry up to eight pounds and travel within a 10-mile radius. In contrast, its larger Platform 1 drones are designed for long-range deliveries, covering 120 miles round trip, and are used for enterprise, business, and government clients.