Charlotte’s first drone delivery service for homes takes to the skies

Residential drone delivery has landed in Charlotte.

At 10:48 a.m., a bacon turkey bravo sandwich and macaroni and cheese from Panera Bread lifted off by drone at The Arboretum shopping center off Providence Road, headed to a nearby home in the Providence Springs neighborhood. The drone delivery took minutes versus a 12-minute car ride.

It marked the first time drone delivery was available in Charlotte.

“We think drone delivery represents one of the fastest, safest and most environmentally-friendly ways to move a package across a city,” Jesse Suskin, head of corporate affairs for drone company Wing said Wednesday. Wing, based in Palo Alto, California, is a drone delivery operator.

Working with DoorDash for deliveries, Wing’s lightweight, autonomous drones can make deliveries within a 4-mile radius of the shopping center. Behind fencing in the center’s parking lot off Providence Road is an 18-pad “nest” where they’ll be stored, charged and take off.

“What makes this launch special isn’t just the technology, it’s the experience,” Harrison Shih, head of product for DoorDash Labs, said in a statement. “There’s something special about watching your order arrive by air in minutes.”

Drone delivery ‘is happening every day’

Shih shared a personal story before the launch about when drone delivery became real to him, while ordering a drone delivery in Australia.

“I’ll never forget the way that my 3-year-old’s eyes lit up when that drone showed up in the sky and an ice cream lowered down for him.”

But what struck him the most was how this will become normal for his children. “We see that this is where delivery is going,” Shih said. “Two tacos don’t always need a 2-ton car to drive it across town.

“One of the biggest misconceptions about drone delivery is that this is some sort of far-off technology,” he said. “But it’s already real, it’s here and it’s happening every day.”

Paul Herndon, president of The Arboretum owner American Asset Corp., said the deal came together quickly after Wing reached out in December.

“We made room. We changed our site plan,” he said. “It has an incredible opportunity to benefit these tenants of ours and their customers.”

Where drone delivery is available

DoorDash customers within about 4 miles of The Arboretum Shopping Center in south Charlotte will be able to choose drone delivery.

Participating restaurants are Panera Bread at 3207 Pineville-Matthews Road, Curry Junction, Matcha Cafe Maiko and Joa Korean food.

DashMart by Drone also is available offering drinks, snacks and medicine for drone delivery in as quick as 15 minutes.

“Charlotte is a city that embraces technology solutions to big transportation challenges,” Wing CEO Adam Woodworth said in a statement. Check address for eligibility at wing.com/charlotte..

DoorDash and Wing plan to expand to more neighborhoods later this year. Anyone not eligible now can join the waitlist to be notified when drone delivery expands to their neighborhood

Wing official Suskin declined to say how much the companies are investing in the Charlotte expansion.

How drone delivery works

Eligible customers will find the “Drone” icon on the homepage of the DoorDash app.

Tap the icon and browse restaurants eligible for drone delivery. If the items meet the size and weight criteria, shoppers can select drone delivery during checkout.

After confirming the delivery location, drone live tracking will be available.

Drone facts

The highly automated delivery drones plan their own route.

It takes off climbing to heights of about 200 feet, and cruises to speeds of around 65 mph.

Upon arrival, the drone hovers down to about 23 feet and lowers the package gently to the ground using a tether. The drone then returns to Wing’s hub and lands on a charger.

The drones, made mostly of Styrofoam similar to a bicycle helmet, weigh about 11 pounds, Tom Kuhn, spokesman for Wing, said. Each drone can carry 2.5 pounds.

Drones can fly in most conditions, including winds up to 35 mph, he said.

Drone delivery background

DoorDash and Wing first launched drone delivery together in Australia in 2022.

The delivery expanded to the U.S. in 2019 to parts of rural southwest Virginia, followed three years later in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.

To date, Wing has completed more than 450,000 deliveries across three continents, which also includes Europe.

The partnership was born out of DoorDash Labs, DoorDash’s robotics and automation arm.

DoorDash Labs focuses on identifying and integrating autonomous solutions that can enhance the customer experience, drive increased demand for local merchants, and create more earning opportunities for Dashers.

Since 2012, Wing has been designing, manufacturing and operating highly automated small aircraft. Wing, a drone delivery venture owned by Google parent Alphabet, is headquartered in Palo Alto, California.

DoorDash also partners with Coco Robotics for sidewalk robot delivery.

Homeowners say drone delivery ‘amazing’

Mark and Amy DeLoach, who own the Lawton Bluff Road home with their three children, enjoyed watching the delivery. The couple said they had just recently began using delivery services from stores like Walmart and Target.

“It’s changed our lives but something like this will make it even more convenient,” Amy DeLoach said. “This is life-altering.”

Mark DeLoach said he finds the drone delivery option appealing for it’s convenience and time saving.

“You might want something to eat quickly, but you might be cooking and you’re missing something. Instead of running out, you can get it just like that,” he said with a snap of his finger. “It’s amazing.”

This story was originally published May 14, 2025 at 9:28 AM.