DroneUp Secures FAA Part 135 Certification, Opening New Era for Drone Delivery

Haye Kesteloo
December 6, 2024
Delivery by Drone, Drone Technology, Drones, DroneUp, Part 135, Texas, Virginia, Walmart

DroneUp has achieved a significant milestone by becoming the sixth U.S. drone operator to receive Part 135 air carrier certification from the Federal Aviation Administration. This certification transforms the Virginia Beach-based company’s delivery capabilities, allowing transport of third-party cargo and operations beyond visual line of sight. [Source: Virginia Business]

Expanded Operations

Starting in Murphy, Texas, DroneUp‘s new certification dramatically increases their service capacity from 6,000 to 25,000 households in a single location. The company plans to expand across ten additional locations throughout the Dallas-Fort Worth area, with ambitious goals to cover 80% of the region.

Operational Transformation

“With this certification, and with actual beyond visual line of sight certification, you’re going to see this start to scale very, very quickly,” explains DroneUp founder and CEO Tom Walker. He emphasizes that drone delivery will become “not only better and more efficient than some of the other traditional modalities, but it’s safer.”

Timeline and Growth

DroneUp plans to implement Part 135 operations across all eleven DFW locations by the end of Q1 2025, with expansion to new Dallas-Fort Worth locations beginning in Q2. The company initiated its certification process in May 2024, demonstrating remarkable progress in regulatory compliance.

Strategic Focus

The company has strategically consolidated its operations, having previously partnered with Walmart in 2021 for a planned expansion to 4 million homes across six states. In August, DroneUp refined its focus to the Dallas-Fort Worth area to perfect its service model.

Beyond Retail

DroneUp’s scope extends beyond retail delivery. The company launched an 18-month project in August 2023 to deliver medical supplies and hypertension medication to patients on Virginia’s Eastern Shore and Tangier Island, partnering with Riverside Health System and Old Dominion University.

DroneXL’s Take

This certification represents a crucial advancement in delivery-by-drone capabilities. With DroneUp’s strategic focus on perfecting operations in the Dallas-Fort Worth area and their innovative work in medical deliveries, we’re seeing the practical evolution of drone technology in real-world applications.

Share your thoughts on the expansion of drone delivery services in your area in the comments below.

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Haye Kesteloo

Haye Kesteloo is a leading drone industry expert and Editor in Chief of DroneXL.co and EVXL.co, where he covers drone technology, industry developments, and electric mobility trends. With over nine years of specialized coverage in unmanned aerial systems, his insights have been featured in The New York Times, The Financial Times, and cited by The Brookings Institute, Foreign Policy, Politico and others.

Before founding DroneXL.co, Kesteloo built his expertise at DroneDJ. He currently co-hosts the PiXL Drone Show on YouTube and podcast platforms, sharing industry insights with a global audience. His reporting has influenced policy discussions and been referenced in federal documents, establishing him as an authoritative voice in drone technology and regulation. He can be reached at haye @ dronexl.co or @hayekesteloo.