The brief
- Started delivering blood across Rwanda in 2016 and has made over a million deliveries.
- Platform 2 home delivery launched with Walmart in Dallas–Fort Worth in 2025.
- Raised about $600M in early 2026 at a $7.6B valuation, led by Valor Equity Partners.
Technical approach
Catapult launch, wire catch
Platform 1 is a small winged drone launched by catapult. It drops packages by parachute and is caught by a wire when it returns.
Hover and lower on a rope
Platform 2 hovers about 300 ft up while a small steerable pod drops on a rope to a spot the size of a table, keeping noise away from people.
Spotting other aircraft
Sound and other sensors detect nearby aircraft, so drones can fly with no human watching each flight.
Zipline, one program
Updated 21 Jan 2026
Research & demos
- Mar 2023
A new design for near-silent, precise delivery to small spaces in busy neighbourhoods.
Open technical problems
- Rules for flying out of sightPartially solved
Growth needs routine FAA approval to fly many drones out of the operator's sight; a new rule (Part 108) is in progress.
- Cheaper than a driver?Open
Each drop must cost less than a car delivery, which needs busy areas and drones flying most of the day.
Peers
Company & funding
- Valuation
- $7.6Bprivate
- Raised
- $930Mdisclosed private rounds
- Last round
- Growth roundJan 2026
- HQ
- US
- Founded
- 2014
Post-money valuation, log scale
| Date | Round | Amount | Post-money | Lead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 2026 | Growth round | $600M | $7.6B | Valor Equity Partners |
| Apr 2023 | Series F extension | $330M | $4.2B | — |
Partners & customers
- Customer
Home delivery in Dallas–Fort Worth and other markets
- Customer
First national medical-drone delivery network
- CustomerGovernment of Ghana
Medical supply delivery network
People
- Keller Rinaudo ClifftonCo-founder and CEO
- Keenan WyrobekCo-founder