Drone delivery startup Zipline reaches 1 million deliveries, eyes restaurant expansion

It’s been a remarkable two years since our last update on the autonomous delivery drone startup Zipline. Back then, Zipline was using drones to transport life-saving supplies like blood and vaccines to isolated African villages at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, they’ve achieved a major milestone: completed 1 million deliveries to customers.

In an announcement on Friday, the San Francisco-based Zipline said it had hit its one-millionth delivery to customers and plans to explore partnerships with restaurants as part of its expansion agenda.

Zipline’s journey began in Rwanda and Ghana, where it gained prominence for its life-saving deliveries of blood, vaccines, and essential medications to remote areas using its fleet of autonomous electric drones. Since then, they’ve experienced exponential growth, expanding their delivery services to many African countries and beyond.

Zipline specializes in designing, building, and operating autonomous delivery drones. Its client roster is diverse, ranging from over 4,700 hospitals, including the prestigious Cleveland Clinic, to major brands like Walmart and GNC. With substantial funding exceeding $500 million from investors like Sequoia Capital and Google Ventures, Zipline has solidified its position as a leading disruptor in the industry.

Zipline proudly boasts that their zero-emission drones have flown over 70 million autonomous commercial miles across four continents, delivering more than 10 million products.

Their 1 millionth delivery, which transported two bags of IV fluid from a distribution center in Ghana to a local health facility, exemplifies their ongoing commitment to bridging crucial supply gaps in healthcare infrastructure.

As Zipline grows, the startup is set to onboard partners like Panera Bread in Seattle, Memorial Hermann Health System in Houston, and Jet’s Pizza in Detroit. CEO Keller Rinaudo Cliffton highlighted the company’s ambitious goal of achieving 1 million deliveries per day, with a focus on healthcare, quick commerce, and food sectors, CNBC reported.

“The three areas where the incentive really makes the most sense today are health care, quick commerce and food, and those are the three main markets that we focus on. Our goal is to work with really the best brands or the best institutions in each of those markets,” Rinaudo said.

The move into restaurant partnerships reflects Zipline’s recognition of the burgeoning demand for instant food delivery services. By leveraging lightweight, fast, autonomous, and eco-friendly vehicles, they aim to revolutionize the delivery landscape, offering unparalleled speed and cost-efficiency.

Zipline’s collaboration with Panera Bread, set to commence drone deliveries next year in Seattle, is poised to enhance delivery capabilities while maintaining competitive costs. Ron Bellamy, Chief Operating Officer of a Panera franchisee, expressed optimism about the venture’s potential to improve business operations and consumer experiences.

On January 20, Zipline announced in a post on X (formerly Twitter) that it had delivered 1 billion doses of vaccines in partnership with the Government of Ghana and the Gavi Vaccine Alliance.

Founded in 2014 by Keenan Wyrobek, Keller Rinaudo, and Will Hetzler, Zipline remains dedicated to delivering vital medical products to all corners of the globe. Their impressive track record includes millions of miles flown, hundreds of thousands of deliveries made, and millions served, solidifying their reputation as pioneers in autonomous logistics.

A drone operator loads a Walmart package into Zipline’s P1 fixed-wing drone for delivery to a customer home in Pea Ridge, Arkansas, on March 30, 2023. (Credit: CNBC)