How Does Drone Delivery Work? Zips, Droids and FAA Rules
How does drone delivery work? We explain how Zipline's drones fly, find your yard and lower packages, plus the FAA rules that still limit the service.
Hakkı ALKANPublished 3 min read
How does drone delivery work? In short, a store loads your order into a drone, the drone flies itself to your address at a few hundred feet, and the package is lowered or dropped into your yard while the aircraft stays high above. Zipline, the biggest US player, says its median order in October arrived 19 minutes after checkout.
The topic is suddenly mainstream. This week Zipline raised $1.5 billion and Walmart agreed to add 300 Zipline sites, as we covered in our Zipline funding report. Here is what actually happens between the click and the drop-off.
How Does Drone Delivery Work Step by Step?
Zipline's current system, called Platform 2, uses two robots. The main aircraft, the Zip, has a wingspan of about 7.8 feet and docks at a partner site such as a store. A smaller unit, the Droid, carries the package inside the Zip. According to an FAA environmental assessment of Zipline's Seattle plans, the flow looks like this:
- An order comes in and staff load the package into the Droid.
- The Zip undocks and flies to the address at about 330 feet above the ground.
- It hovers there and lowers the Droid on a winch line.
- The Droid checks that the spot is clear, places the package and is pulled back up.
- The Zip returns to its dock, and the whole hover takes about 75 seconds.
How Does the Drone Find Your Yard?
The Droid does the precise work. As IEEE Spectrum explained, it has its own small autopilot, cameras and thrusters. Therefore, it can steer around trees and power lines, fight wind, and land in a spot about one meter wide. Meanwhile, the bigger aircraft simply stays out of the way, which keeps noise down.
| Question | Zipline Platform 2 |
|---|---|
| Cruise height | About 330 feet |
| Payload | About 2.5 to 3.5 kg |
| Service radius | About 10 miles |
| Hover time at drop | About 75 seconds |
Is Drone Delivery Legal Everywhere?
No. In the US, flights beyond the operator's line of sight still need special approval. For example, Zipline flies under an FAA Part 135 air carrier certificate plus an exemption. A broader rule, Part 108, would make these flights routine, but it has been stuck in White House review since July. As a result, each new city still means paperwork and local reviews.
Who Offers Drone Delivery Today?
Walmart works with both Zipline and Alphabet's Wing, and Uber wants 1 million Zipline deliveries a day by 2029. That fits Uber's wider push into automated transport, including its Waymo partnership. However, service is still limited to selected US areas, mostly in Texas and Arkansas for Walmart.
Our Take
Drone delivery now works well for small, urgent orders like medicine or a forgotten ingredient. Still, it will not replace the truck for heavy boxes soon. The real limits are rules and neighbors rather than technology, and the next year will show whether Part 108 clears the way.