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Zipline Raises $1.5 Billion to Build Nationwide Drone Delivery Network

globenewswire.com
UBER Uber is partnering with Zipline to target one million deliveries a day by 2029, indicating a significant expansion and integration of drone delivery into their services. WMT Walmart is expanding its partnership with Zipline to launch 300 additional delivery sites, signaling a strong commitment to leveraging drone technology for broader reach. CRM Salesforce Ventures participated in Zipline's $1.5 billion funding round, indicating an investment interest but not direct operational involvement mentioned in the article.

Zipline Raises $1.5 Billion to Build Nationwide Drone Delivery Network SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., Nov. 05, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Zipline today announced a $1.5 billion raise at a $21.5 billion post-money valuation, led by Paradigm, WCM Investment Management, and Layer Global with participation from Valor Equity Partners, Fidelity Management & Research Company, Uber, Tiger Global, J.P. Morgan, ARK Invest, and Salesforce Ventures.

Zipline will use the capital to expand its U.S. manufacturing facilities and ramp hiring as it builds a nationwide drone delivery network. Demand for delivery has never been higher, but ground delivery is constrained by traffic, aging infrastructure, and rising costs. Roads can’t keep up. The future of delivery is in the sky.

Walmart and Zipline are now working together to launch 300 additional sites as part of a new national multi-year agreement with potential to grow further. Uber is targeting one million deliveries a day with Zipline by 2029. Enterprise leaders and small businesses alike are investing in drone delivery to unlock growth.

Hundreds of businesses are now growing their revenue through Zipline orders. Dozens of new businesses are joining Zipline’s network weekly. Existing partners are expanding their relationships with Zipline to include hundreds or thousands of new locations.

A cohort of Zipline's longest-tenured restaurants shared their results to date: between March and October, Zipline’s share of their delivery revenue grew from 10.8% to 34.9%. Zipline orders were incremental and did not reduce demand from other platforms. The restaurants saw a 26% increase in delivery GMV, with 80% of the increase coming from Zipline orders.

Drone delivery is now a routine convenience in Zipline’s metros, with more than one million deliveries made within the Dallas-Ft. Worth metroplex alone this year. Customers choose Zipline because it's fast, convenient, and quiet. In October, the median Zipline order was delivered 19 minutes after checkout, compared to 30+ minutes for traditional delivery. Restaurants with quick prep times are even faster: the median bakery order arrived 10 minutes after checkout.

By using the sky for automated deliveries, Zipline expands the number of customers businesses can reach. Today, only 5% of U.S. restaurant orders are for delivery. In practice, those orders are constrained to customers within a couple miles of the store, as cost and travel times become less attractive for longer ranges. Zipline delivers without causing traffic, helping businesses serve customers. Companies like Wonder are seizing this opportunity by building new storefronts and kitchens that are optimized specifically for Zipline.

“Zipline is now one of the largest autonomous robotics companies in the world -- operating with scale, safety, and a magical user experience for consumers and merchants,” said Matt Huang, Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Paradigm. “It's no wonder that some of the largest merchants in the world are partnering with Zipline to use their delivery network.”

"Zipline has built a team and culture that has been developing cutting-edge drone delivery capabilities for over 10 years, and the market is now recognizing how transformational its technology is. Within e-commerce and food delivery, Zipline represents a generational improvement in user experience and delight,” said Alan Tu, Portfolio Manager at WCM Investment Management

“Zipline has already brought the future of delivery to the communities it serves. Now, the opportunity is to reach millions more,” said Anton Levy, Founder and Managing Partner of Layer Global. “With partners like Uber and Walmart and a repeatable model for entering new markets, Zipline is well positioned to make drone delivery a mainstream part of everyday life.”

As Zipline scales, it keeps improving its service for customers and communities. The company recently rolled out sound-optimized dynamic flying, an industry-first acoustics upgrade that makes flights quieter, faster, and more energy efficient. It also introduced its next-generation aircraft, designed to fly higher and quieter while carrying heavier orders over longer distances.

Ten years after its first flights, Zipline is the world’s largest and most experienced autonomous delivery service, with 150 million commercial autonomous miles flown without a safety incident. Zipline’s long-range medical deliveries help save more than 14,000 lives each year across multiple continents. In Côte d’Ivoire, Zipline is now building a nationwide network expected to serve more than 2,200 health facilities and 12 million people.

Drone delivery will give the earth back to humans, while saving time, saving money, and saving lives. Zipline is building a nationwide network to make that future real. We’re hiring. Join us.