Delivery of the future: drone deliveries are already a success in the USA.

As drone deliveries These are already a reality in the United States and are transforming urban logistics. Companies like Zipline Millions of flights are involved, carrying everything from hot meals to everyday deliveries. But when will this successful model become commonplace in Brazil? In this article, you'll understand how it works and who is leading this revolution. Check it out:

Since deliveries are made by drones

Drone deliveries act as an "aerial shortcut" for transporting objects from one point to another. Instead of a car or motorcycle traveling along streets, roads, or difficult paths, the drone flies directly to its destination carrying the package. The process begins with preparing the order, which could be a snack, medicine, or a package. This item is placed on the drone, which follows a computer-defined route, using GPS, sensors, and digital maps for safe navigation. Upon reaching the correct location, the drone can gently lower the package via a cable or release it at a specific point, without needing to land on the ground.

This technology is very useful not only for delivering food faster, but mainly for reaching places where traditional transportation is slow, expensive, or even impossible. Drones can carry medicines, vaccines, tests, urgent parts, or packages to rural areas, isolated communities, regions separated by rivers, or places affected by floods and natural disasters. In many cases, they reduce travel time by hours to just a few minutes. Therefore, in addition to the convenience they provide in everyday city life, drone deliveries play an important role in logistics, healthcare, and emergency situations, helping to connect people and services even when land access is limited.

Zipline

A Zipline It began operating commercial drone deliveries in the United States in 2025 and quickly gained... Featured in Texas citiesLike Rowlett, this company delivers food and retail products directly from the point of pickup to the consumer's home via air transport. Its success didn't come out of nowhere: the company has been operating since 2016 and has accumulated experience in different parts of the world, which facilitated the adaptation of its service to American urban airspace.

Before arriving in the US with a focus on meals and retail, the Zipline It built its reputation in countries like Rwanda and Ghana, where it began delivering medicines, vaccines, and blood bags to remote regions. In this initial model, theDrones can travel up to 120 kilometers in a single round trip.This ensures fast deliveries to locations where ground transportation would be slow or unfeasible. This operation has become a global benchmark and is frequently cited as one of the most successful examples of the use of drones in essential services.

For the American market, the company adopted an even more advanced technology. The drones used in the US have a shorter range, up to about 24 kilometersHowever, they gain in versatility. They take off and land vertically, can hover in the air, and use a second piece of equipment attached by a cable to precisely lower the order to the ground. This strategy avoids landings in residential areas, reduces noise, and makes the service viable in urban and suburban neighborhoods.

All of this infrastructure has already resulted in impressive numbers. Since the start of operations, the Zipline already done more than two million deliveries and sum more than 125 million kilometers flown, maintaining a solid track record of safety. Currently, in addition to Texas, the company is preparing to expand its service to other major American cities, such as Houston and Phoenix.

Wing (Alphabet)

A Wing It is the drone delivery company owned by A, controller of Google, and has distinguished itself as one of the most advanced drone delivery initiatives in commercial operations worldwide. The company has already completed hundreds of thousands of deliveries — with reported milestones over 750 thousand deliveries made in partnership with networks such as Walmart — and plans to further expand its presence in the United States. The service began in 2022 in partnership with... Walmart In the Dallas-Fort Worth area, delivering products such as groceries and household items in up to 30 minutes to homes within a few kilometers of select stores, and in 2026 it also began operating in Houston.

A Wing uses drones that fly at speeds that can exceed 100 km/h They simply lower the merchandise via a cable above the delivery location, which avoids complex landings and makes the operation efficient in residential or urban areas. In addition to the US, the Wing It already has an international track record, with significant operations in countries such as Australia, where it has been delivering orders via drones for years in dozens of cities, including delivering a variety of items — from food to health products — with thousands of daily flights and deliveries to local communities.

The company also has partnerships for meal delivery services with platforms such as Doordash in some markets, demonstrating how their technology can be integrated into different types of e-commerce and retail. A Wing It is currently in a phase of accelerated expansion, with plans to reach approximately 270 partner stores in the United States by 2027.

Amazon Prime Air

A Amazon Prime Air, in turn, is the drone project of Amazon with the goal of delivering packages to customers in a very short time — the company's target is that deliveries can be made in about 30 to 60 minutes after the request. The program began its tests back in 2022 in some markets in the United States, mainly in cities such as College station (Texas) to Tolleson (ArizonaHowever, unlike competitors such as Wing, Prime air Progress was slower: commercial flights were limited to a few hundred deliveries at certain times, far below the volume Amazon initially projected, due to regulatory barriers, technical challenges, and certification restrictions.

In recent years, the program has faced ups and downs. In 2025, the Amazon temporarily paused its operations in some markets while fixing problems with the drones' altitude sensors and updating the software with the approval of US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)This allowed for the resumption of deliveries in selected locations. Even so, its operations remain relatively limited compared to other companies in the sector, and expansion into broader or international markets faces legal and technical challenges, including the recent cancellation of commercial plans in Italy due to regulatory issues.

Scenario in Brazil

In Brazil, for a company to operate drone deliveries legally and commercially, it must comply with a rigorous set of technical and regulatory requirements. The first step is register aircraft with ANAC and to prove that they meet safety standards compatible with the type of operation intended, especially when urban areas are involved. As delivery requires longer flights and often outside the operator's field of vision, the company also needs specific authorizations that prove control of the route, the ability to avoid obstacles, and risk management for people and buildings on the ground.

Furthermore, the operation depends on the clearance of airspace and integration with air traffic control systems, which involves... DECEA, responsible for ensuring that drones do not interfere with traditional aviation. It is also necessary that the communication and control systems be certified by ANATEL, ensuring the stability of the signals used during flight.

Drone delivery by iFood

O iFood was a pioneer in Brazil and in Latin America by integrating drones for your delivery operationreceiving from ANAC The first formal authorization for commercial flights of this type is expected in 2022, in partnership with the Brazilian company. Aero SpeedbirdThis authorization allowed drones to transport light loads — initially up to about [weight missing]. 2,5 kg, and more recently up to 5 kg — on short routes of up to 3 km between strategic points, such as areas of droneport even delivery hubs, drastically reducing travel time on routes that are difficult for ground vehicles.

Today, the consumer It is now able to receive orders with the support of drones.However, this happens in a localized and controlled manner. The experience is available at Aracaju (SE) e Barra dos Coqueiros (SE)The regions were chosen because they present specific logistical challenges, such as long distances and bottlenecks in ground transportation. For the user, the process is simple: the order is placed normally through the iFood app, without needing to select a "drone" option.

Since the resumption and expansion of operations in 2025, the iFood has already accomplished more than 600 deliveries by drones In just a few months, the equipment will be flying daily to connect restaurant and condominium locations, operating for about ten hours a day. The use of drones in this context does not replace human delivery drivers: they only expedite specific routes, especially when traffic or natural obstacles make ground transportation slow or impossible, maintaining the focus on adding efficiency to traditional logistics. The strategy also helps increase the delivery reach of establishments in previously underserved areas.

Postal Service drone delivery

To the post officesWhile drone delivery in Brazil is still in the experimental phase, it has already marked a historic moment. March 2025, during the Smart City Expo in Curitiba (Paraná), the post offices They participated in a joint project with City Hall of Curitiba, Atech (Embraer group company responsible for drone traffic control systems) and Aero Speedbird, carrying out the first drone delivery in the country.In the demonstration, the equipment flew approximately 1,8 km under ANAC (Brazilian Civil Aviation Agency) regulations and completed a route that ended with the delivery of a package to the city's mayor, demonstrating the technical feasibility of the flights. BVLOS (beyond line of sight) in a controlled urban environment.

This project is part of a larger effort to develop the concept of urban “airways”, safe routes that could, in the future, integrate drone deliveries into the traditional logistics infrastructure of post officesAlthough this initiative is not yet a regular commercial service, the experience in Curitiba demonstrates how the historic state-owned company is exploring air mobility technologies to accelerate deliveries and test new ways to increase the efficiency of its postal services in Brazil.

Advances already expected in 2026

In addition to the experiences of iFood and post officesOther companies are driving the drone sector in Brazil, paving the way for broader logistical uses. An important example comes from international partnerships such as that of... SwissDrones with OMNI Unmanned/OMNI Air Taxi, which successfully conducted tests of BVLOS (beyond line of sight) operations between offshore energy platforms off the coast of Rio de Janeiro.In these trials, long-range, high-payload drones transported equipment between platforms, offering a faster and less expensive alternative compared to traditional boats or helicopters.

Another relevant development is the action of startups and Brazilian companies focused on UAV technology, such as Aero Speedbird, which works not only with the iFood but it also expands projects of droneports and logistics hubs in cities such as Salvador and other regions, connecting goods distribution points and exploring longer routes for higher-capacity drones. These initiatives include flights that can cover more than 30 km between strategic points, with the potential to integrate multimodal transport (drones + ground delivery personnel) and serve sectors such as cosmetics, healthcare, and small retail.

In the field of regulation2026 should be a decisive year for Brazil.Currently, it is still necessary to register drones and obtain specific authorizations for each route, but the trend is for authorities to publish updates to the regulations that allow for broader and more standardized operations as the sector matures. This includes risk assessment of operations, requirements for appropriate insurance, and integration with Brazilian airspace control to ensure safety even with increased drone traffic.

With these initiatives and regulatory advancements, 2026 is expected to bring more visible growth in drone deliveries in Brazil, not only in experimental routes but also in practical commercial applications in urban centers, rural areas, and specialized sectors such as energy and healthcare. National and international companies have shown interest in investing in the country as the regulatory environment evolves, opening up opportunities for drones to perform functions complementary to traditional logistics—for example, reducing transportation times in hard-to-reach locations, connecting distribution centers to logistics hubs, and expanding the capacity for efficient delivery of critical parcels and supplies.

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Sources: The Verge, iFood e gov.

reviewed by Gabriel Princessval in 22 / 01 / 2026