DoorDash expands Wing drone delivery to Charlotte, N.C.
DoorDash is building on its use of Wing delivery drones in Virginia, Texas and Australia.
The on-demand delivery platform is introducing drone delivery to Charlotte, N.C. for the first time. Starting Wednesday, May 14, 2025, eligible DoorDash customers within about four miles of The Arboretum Shopping Center in southern Charlotte can order from a selection of local and national restaurants and choose to have their items delivered by a drone from Wing, the on-demand drone delivery provider supported by Google parent company Alphabet.
[READ MORE: Alphabet reaches historic first in commercial drone delivery]
“Autonomous delivery will help shape the future of local logistics, and we’re proud to introduce drone delivery to Charlotte for the first time with Wing," said Harrison Shih, head of product for DoorDash Labs, DoorDash’s robotics and automation arm. "There’s something special about watching your order arrive by air in minutes. DoorDash and Wing aren’t just delivering faster, we’re delivering what’s next."
Participating restaurants include Panera Bread, the city's first national partner available for drone delivery, as well as local banners such as Curry Junction, Matcha Cafe Maiko, and Joa Korean food.
In addition to food delivery, Charlotte residents in select locations can now obtain drone delivery from DashMart by Drone, a specialized offering of the DoorDash DashMart banner which operates online storefronts with inventory provided by third-party partners.
DashMart by Drone inventory includes a selection of products including drinks, snacks and medicine, all available for delivery via Wing drone.
"Charlotte is a city that embraces technology solutions to big transportation challenges," Wing CEO Adam Woodworth said. "We’re incredibly excited to launch Wing’s drone delivery service there and we’re grateful for the warm welcome we’ve received from the city and its residents."
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Eligible customers can order drone delivery via the DoorDash app.
How it works
Eligible residents browsing the DoorDash app can tap the “Drone” icon on the homepage to browse restaurants eligible for drone delivery. If the items they choose meet the size and weight criteria, shoppers will have the option to select drone delivery during checkout.
After confirming their delivery location, they will receive live tracking updates as the drone approaches. Charlotte consumers who aren’t currently eligible can join the waitlist to be notified when drone delivery expands to their neighborhood.
“We’ve owned and operated The Arboretum Shopping Center, one of Charlotte’s most well-established and well-known retail centers, for over 30 years,” said Paul Herndon, president of American Asset Corporation. “It is incredibly exciting and quite an honor for it to now host the very first Wing and DoorDash drone delivery operation in North Carolina.”
DoorDash and Wing take flight with ongoing drone collaboration
The Charlotte expansion is the next step in a partnership between DoorDash and Wing. DoorDash and Wing initially launched drone delivery in Australia in 2022 and have since expanded to three locations with over 60 participating retailers, marking the first time that Wing integrated its drone delivery service within another on-demand delivery marketplace.
In March 2024, DoorDash began allowing select local consumers in Christianburg, Va. to order eligible menu items from Wendy’s and have them delivered via drones from Wing.
Once a customer selects drone delivery and places their order, it is prepared and packaged at the Wendy’s location and delivered via a Wing drone, typically in 30 minutes or less. Wing drones travel around 65 m.p.h., then hover and lower an order outside a customer’s doorstep using a tether.
DoorDash followed this in December 2024 with a partnership to provide delivery of purchases from Brookfield Properties’ Stonebriar Centre in Frisco and Hulen Mall in Fort Worth using Wing drones.
