Manna was founded in 2019 and operates mostly in Dublin.
Irish drone delivery company Manna, which operates suburban air delivery of food and other goods, is to partner with Uber as the US transportation company makes its first moves into the European drone delivery space.
The new strategic partnership will be tested in Ireland before being launched in cities elsewhere in Europe. Manna said that integrating its drones with the “vast network of restaurants, merchants and consumers on the Uber platform will unlock faster, safer and more cost-efficient last-mile logistics at scale”.
Manna founder Bobby Healy told SiliconRepublic.com: “Uber is a worldwide brand synonymous with innovation and disruption. It’s a huge win for indigenous Irish tech and I’m particularly proud for our 170-strong team in north county Dublin.
“It represents everything that is great about building ambitious start-ups right here in Ireland.”
The new service will integrate Manna’s flight-proven autonomous drone delivery system with Uber’s global platform and logistics expertise, creating a fully integrated, end-to-end experience engineered for speed, safety and reliability at scale, the Irish company said.
Manna was founded in 2019 and claims to have made over 250,000 successful deliveries to date. It already works with food delivery platforms such as JustEat and Deliveroo, primarily in areas of Dublin. Uber, founded in 2010, focuses on moving people, food and things through cities.
Sarfraz Maredia, Uber’s president of autonomous mobility and delivery, said: “Autonomous technology is shaping the future of delivery, whether it’s on the streets or in the skies. By combining Uber’s scale with Manna’s proven aerial expertise, we’re bringing fast, efficient and sustainable delivery to consumers and merchants alike.
“We’re proud to launch in Europe and excited to introduce this technology to more Uber Eats customers over time.”
Manna has faced some opposition to its services at a local level over factors such as noise pollution, but claims its delivery service is cleaner and faster than comparable local deliveries by road while being safe and sustainable, with an ideal flight radius of around 5km.
“Our focus remains simple: build the safest, fastest and most sustainable delivery infrastructure in the world,” said Eoghan Huston, Manna’s COO.
Last year, it began operating in Cork, and has raised over $60m of funding in its lifespan to date.
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