Autonomous delivery drone startup Zipline said Friday that it has achieved its one millionth customer delivery and expects restaurant partnerships to be in its next phase of growth.
The San Francisco-based startup designs, builds and operates autonomous delivery drones, working with clients from greater than 4,700 hospitals, including the Cleveland Clinic, to major brands such as Walmart and GNC. To date, it has raised over $500 million from investors including Sequoia Capital, a16z and Google Ventures. Zipline can also be a CNBC Disruptor 50 company.
The company said its zero-emission drones have already flown greater than 70 million autonomous industrial miles on 4 continents and delivered greater than 10 million products.
This millionth shipment transported two bags of intravenous fluid from Zipline’s distribution center in Ghana to an area hospital.
As the corporate continues to expand, it will launch Panera Bread in Seattle, Memorial Hermann Health System in Houston and Jet’s Pizza in Detroit.
Zipline CEO Keller Rinaudo Cliffton told CNBC that 70% of the corporate’s deliveries have occurred previously two years, with a future goal of 1 million deliveries per day.
“The three areas where incentive makes the most sense right now are health care, high-speed trade and food, and those are the three main markets we are focused on,” Rinaudo Cliffton said. “Our goal is to work with the truly best brands or best institutions in each of these markets.”
Getting involved in restaurant partnerships marks “an obvious change,” he said, as interest in easy food delivery continues to grow. Zipline already delivers food from Walmart to customers.
“We need to start using vehicles that are light, fast, autonomous and emission-free,” said Rinaudo Cliffton. (*1*)
Zipline deliveries to some Panera locations in Seattle are expected to begin next 12 months, Ron Bellamy, chief operating officer of a Panera franchisee, told CNBC. He added that deliveries proceed to grow even in an inflationary environment. Zipline’s costs are expected to be comparable to current third-party delivery costs, he added, hoping those costs will come down over time.
“I’m excited about it, not only for what I can do for the company, but also as a consumer, I think that ultimately, if it’s economical and provides a better overall experience, the consumer will speak,” Bellamy said.
Credit : www.cnbc.com