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DoorDash Leases San Francisco Mission Hub to Develop and Test Drone Delivery

City zoning permits constrained outdoor tests under current rules.

Overview

  • DoorDash confirmed it leased the 34,000-square-foot warehouse at 1960 Folsom St. as an R&D site with the possibility of drone testing.
  • San Francisco zoning administrator Corey Teague determined the proposed autonomous aerial delivery testing is permitted at the property.
  • Planned outdoor tests would keep drones within visual line of sight up to about 150 feet, operate no more than two at once, and cap each flight at 30 minutes.
  • About 200 jobs are expected at the Mission District facility, which will support DoorDash Labs’ robotics and automation work.
  • DoorDash continues drone delivery pilots with partners such as Wing and Flytrek in Charlotte, Christiansburg, Dallas and Australia, and a proposed federal BVLOS rule could enable broader operations.