DoorDash Drone Delivery Demo at Hollywood Cemetery Follows FAA Certification

A DoorDash order arrived by drone at a Cinespia screening at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery during a Friday night showing of "Jennifer's Body" with director Karyn Kusama, Yahoo reported. The delivery was held by a ghost tied to the drone and dropped off at the cemetery.

DoorDash Air and the Cemetery Drop

A TikTok user, @glassbattlesofficial, told KTLA that "DoorDash was promoting what seems to be a new option for delivery." DoorDash announced in July that it received certification from the Federal Aviation Administration to launch DoorDash Air, its in-house drone program, authorizing it to operate as an air carrier and offer "an even more deeply integrated drone delivery experience."

In September, DoorDash said pilot drone deliveries would begin in California with national brands including Chipotle and Popeyes, plus participating local businesses. The service is already available in select communities in parts of Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas, and Charlotte, North Carolina, subject to local regulations, according to the company.

DoorDash works with Wing, Flytrex and Manna on the drone service. Flytrex announced rooftop drone docks and predictive AI in October to cut delivery costs by 60% and halve delivery times, with more than 100 additional sites installed in Dallas-Fort Worth, Robotics & Automation News reported.

Customers in an eligible area order as usual, provided the store is drone-eligible; such businesses appear through banners or the drone filter. DoorDash advises keeping orders small because of the drone's weight and size limits. After confirming a drone delivery zone at the location, customers select "Drone" at checkout.

DoorDash's Delivery Scale

DoorDash operates a three-sided marketplace connecting consumers, merchants and independent drivers, according to akta.pro company records. The records list 56 million monthly active users, a 56% share of U.S. food delivery, and $13.7 billion in FY2025 revenue, up 27.9% year over year, with net income of $935 million.

Earlier DoorDash Launches

On October 20, Olo launched a commission-free takeout app with 250 restaurant partners charging a 5% network fee, the New York Post reported. On DoorDash's Q3 earnings call, the company said it had received only several hundred orders from third-party AI agents, against an average of 3 million daily deliveries, Yahoo reported. DoorDash also launched a campaign with Knicks guard Josh Hart titled "It's All In The Delivery," LBBOnline reported.

DoorDash Drone Rollout Plans

DoorDash has said pilot drone deliveries would begin in California in September, alongside existing service in parts of Dallas-Fort Worth and Charlotte.