DoorDash and Alphabet‘s Wing have partnered to launch a drone delivery pilot program in the US, starting in Christiansburg, Virginia, with Wendy’s as its first restaurant partner.

The pilot program expands upon a successful collaboration in Australia, where Wing has been making deliveries for over a year via the DoorDash app.

Customers in Christiansburg can select drone delivery during checkout on the DoorDash app for eligible Wendy’s menu items, with delivery typically in 30 minutes or less.

DoorDash aims to provide a sustainable delivery option for small, short-distance orders, complementing traditional delivery methods.

To qualify for drone delivery, an address must have a small clearing on the property, and orders exceeding weight or volume restrictions may be delivered traditionally.

DoorDash plans to expand the pilot to other US cities later in the year, building upon Alphabet’s existing small-scale delivery operations in Christiansburg since 2019.

The partnership with Wing aligns with DoorDash’s focus on leveraging automation to meet consumer demand and improve platform efficiencies.

Global Data’s Thematic Intelligence: Drones report notes: “Drones have been around for decades, but with innovations and rising investment, their popularity has grown significantly in the last three years.

Drones have moved on beyond military applications and have become more widely used by both consumers and enterprises.”