Zipline raises $1.5 billion for US drone-delivery expansion

By Elena Vasquez

Zipline raised $1.5 billion at a $21.5 billion post-money valuation, nearly tripling its value in about 10 months. Paradigm, WCM Investment Management and Layer Global led the round, which also included Uber, JPMorgan, Fidelity Management & Research, Tiger Global, ARK Invest and Salesforce Ventures.

Zipline will use the proceeds to expand US manufacturing capacity, recruit more workers and develop a nationwide drone-delivery network. The investment shifts capital toward a consumer-facing logistics business after years of building national healthcare systems in Africa.

Why did Zipline start in Rwanda?

California-based Zipline designed and manufactured its drones in the United States, but Chief Executive Keller Cliffton said: “Restrictions on flying beyond an operator’s visual range kept the business outside the US during its first eight years of commercial operations.” Reuters reported that those restrictions initially blocked its home-market commercial model and prompted the move overseas.

Zipline made its first commercial delivery in Rwanda in October 2016, carrying blood and other essential medical products to hospitals difficult to reach quickly by road. Rwanda became the first country to operate a national autonomous delivery service, and the company dates its first flight, earliest commercial deployment and initial national-scale infrastructure to the African program.

After testing at national scale, Zipline expanded into Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya and Côte d’Ivoire, transporting blood, vaccines, medicines and other health products to hospitals and clinics. Rwanda supplied the regulatory environment and national health network needed to test the model before comparable US operations became possible.

In February 2026, Rwanda expanded its partnership with Zipline, aiming to become the first country with nationwide autonomous logistics coverage and Africa’s first urban drone-delivery network. A separate $150 million US government pay-for-performance programme supports the African expansion and is not part of the $1.5 billion investment round.

What do Walmart and Uber add?

Walmart and Zipline agreed to add 300 drone-delivery sites across the United States under an expanded multiyear partnership. The companies currently operate from a much smaller number of locations, making the addition a significant commercial commitment rather than a marginal extension.

Uber also invested after agreeing to introduce Zipline’s autonomous delivery service to Uber Eats customers. The ride-hailing company targets one million Zipline-supported deliveries daily by 2029, according to Zipline.

For shippers, the 300-site agreement broadens drone delivery from healthcare into food, retail goods and other consumer purchases, creating a new distribution channel across the US. For carriers and forwarders, Uber Eats adds a customer-facing service that competes for delivery volume, while Amazon and Alphabet’s Wing are also developing commercial drone networks.

Can the safety record support US scale?

Zipline says it has flown 150 million autonomous commercial miles without a safety incident. It also says long-distance medical deliveries help save more than 14,000 lives annually across several continents.

The $21.5 billion valuation reflects investor expectations for Zipline’s American commercial business. The technology, operating record and national-delivery model that attracted Uber and Walmart were first tested at scale in Africa.

How is the African network expanding?

Côte d’Ivoire approved an eight-year public-private partnership in September to expand Zipline’s network from one distribution centre to 10. The expanded system should serve more than 2,200 health facilities and approximately 12 million people.

Zipline said the Ivorian network had already delivered about two million vaccine doses and 20,500 units of blood products. The US government is providing initial infrastructure support, while Côte d’Ivoire will pay for continuing operations.

Zipline also maintains operations in Ghana, Nigeria and Kenya, where autonomous delivery has moved beyond short pilots and become part of national health-supply systems. The US push therefore does not signal a withdrawal from Africa, where the company is adding capacity while American manufacturing and site deployment expand.

The next test is execution: Zipline must convert $1.5 billion in capital, expanded US manufacturing and 300 planned Walmart sites into a nationwide network. Uber’s 2029 target and Rwanda’s February 2026 expansion will show whether the African operating model can support American capacity at substantially greater scale.