DoorDash’s Mission District Drone Test Faces Union Pushback

A fight over the future of work has arrived in the Mission District. As Mission Local reported, DoorDash wants to test delivery drones at a new research site on Folsom Street. The Teamsters Union Local 665 wants the plan stopped.

In August, DoorDash leased a warehouse at 1960 Folsom St. to build and test new “aerial delivery systems.”

The drones would fly up to 150 feet above the neighborhood. One day they could replace some delivery drivers.

City zoning officials approved the project. They said drone testing counts as “laboratory use,” which is allowed in local PDR zones. These areas support “production, distribution and repair,” including workshops, sound engineering, food distribution, and manufacturing.

The Teamsters disagree. They appealed the zoning decision. Union leaders argue that drone development is not a laboratory use. They also say the Mission’s PDR zones exist to protect blue–collar jobs, not replace them.

Tony Delorio, the union’s principal officer, did not hold back. He said the neighborhood is “not a laboratory” and that the union refuses to let workers become “DoorDash’s guinea pigs.”

The Board of Appeals will vote Wednesday at 5 p.m.

DoorDash says the project has been misunderstood. The company expects 200 people to work at the site. A spokesperson said DoorDash wants to support San Francisco’s economic recovery and continue testing “autonomous technologies.”

Business groups including the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce, the Bay Area Council, and the Mission Merchant’s Association support the project.

Jobs, Zoning, and New Rules Coming

District 9 Supervisor Jackie Fielder says the DoorDash case is part of a bigger trend. More companies want to convert Mission properties into laboratory space. She believes each conversion needs closer review.

Fielder pointed to the Mission Action Plan 2030, which aims to protect working class jobs and prevent displacement. She said community groups have repeatedly pushed the city to protect PDR zones and the jobs they support.

To slow down the rush toward lab conversions, Fielder and Supervisor Shamann Walton introduced new legislation. It would require companies to get a conditional use authorization before turning any city property into a laboratory space. The rule would last 18 months if approved.

Fielder’s team says the law does not block projects like DoorDash’s drone site. Instead, it forces companies to show how their projects help the neighborhood.

Still, the bigger question remains: who benefits from drone delivery research in a community fighting to keep industrial jobs?

What Mission Residents Are Saying

Many residents are worried about noise, safety, and the slow creep of corporate tech into their daily lives. Others think drones are unnecessary in a dense neighborhood already served by cyclists and scooters.

On the report made by Mission Local, we could read these comments:

Scottf: “We have technology that can efficiently deliver burritos the last 150 feet. It’s called a bicycle. I don’t want to be a guinea pig for unnecessary drones that will be the next front in corporate surveillance.”

Oceanview Mama: “Not a word about privacy. Drones flying up close to homes and gathering data without permission should concern everyone. This is not the same as choosing to use a smart device. This is a drone coming right past your windows.”

Vaughn Bang: “I’m on the third floor with a big window over Mission Street. If I get one of those poles with grabbers, I can get free meals out my window now?”

Others say they would rather see the building used than sit empty. But even those who support the project want clear rules about data, noise, and where these drones will fly.

DroneXL’s Take

Drone delivery is coming, whether in the Mission or somewhere else. DoorDash wants to push ahead. The Teamsters want to slow things down. And Mission residents are trying to figure out if this is innovation or intrusion.

DroneXL readers have seen this story before. Drones promise speed and efficiency, but every neighborhood raises valid questions. Noise, privacy, safety, and jobs all matter. What happens in the Mission could shape how other cities handle drone testing in crowded urban areas.

For now, all eyes are on Wednesday’s vote. Whatever the Board of Appeals decides, the drone debate in San Francisco is only getting started.

Photo credit: Doordash, Kelly Waldron