Zipline and Rwanda sign expansion agreement as country becomes first to build nationwide autonomous delivery

Zipline and the Government of Rwanda have signed an expansion agreement that makes Rwanda the first country to build a nationwide autonomous delivery network. The deal, announced February 5 by Zipline Rwanda, is the first expansion agreement under Zipline‘s $150 million U.S. State Department award.

The signing comes as Zipline hits 2 million commercial drone deliveries globally. The company took 2,684 days to complete its first million. The second million took 699 days.

Here is what you need to know:

• The agreement: Rwanda signed the first expansion under Zipline‘s U.S. State Department award, becoming the first country to build nationwide autonomous delivery.
• New infrastructure: Zipline is adding a third hub in Karongi District, launching Africa’s first urban drone delivery network, and opening its first overseas AI and robotics R&D facility in Rwanda.
• The milestone: Zipline has completed 2 million drone deliveries globally, with the second million completed nearly four times faster than the first.

Rwanda’s expansion adds a third hub and Zipline’s first overseas R&D facility

Zipline launched its first distribution center in Muhanga, Rwanda in late 2016, delivering blood to rural hospitals. A second center opened in Kayonza in 2018. Under the new agreement, a third hub in Karongi District joins the network, service in Kigali is coming soon, and Rwanda will host Zipline‘s first overseas AI and robotics R&D facility.

Zipline delivers 75% of Rwanda’s blood supply outside Kigali, serving more than 800 health facilities. University of Pennsylvania researchers found an 88% reduction in maternal deaths from postpartum hemorrhage at facilities using Zipline‘s network.

“We have witnessed the extraordinary impact of drone delivery — saving time, saving money, and saving lives. With this partnership, we will now expand to urban delivery, bringing these benefits to even more communities,” said Paula Ingabire, Rwanda’s Minister of ICT and Innovation.

“In 2016, Rwanda made a decision that changed health access forever. Rwanda did not ask whether it had been done before. It asked whether it could work and whether it could save lives,” said Caitlin Burton, CEO of Zipline Africa. “This is a global first — not because the technology exists, but because the leadership exists.”

Zipline’s global momentum builds on its Rwandan foundation

The 2 million delivery milestone was announced on January 21 alongside a $600 million funding round that values Zipline at $7.6 billion.

CEO Keller Rinaudo Cliffton called 2026 the company’s breakout year. Zipline is expanding to Houston and Phoenix, with plans to operate in at least four U.S. states. U.S. delivery volumes have grown about 15% week over week for seven months, driven by its Walmart partnership across Dallas-Fort Worth.

The Rwanda agreement is funded through the $150 million State Department contract announced in November 2025, which aims to triple Zipline‘s African network from 5,000 to 15,000 health facilities. Zipline also plans to launch its Platform 2 home delivery service in Kigali, Musanze, and Rubavu later this year.

DroneXL’s Take

The R&D facility is the detail that jumped out at me. Zipline has manufactured everything in South San Francisco since day one. Placing its first overseas research hub in Rwanda signals this isn’t just an expansion deal. It’s a bet that Rwanda’s regulatory environment and delivery volume make it the best place to develop next-generation autonomous logistics outside the U.S.

The third hub in Karongi fills the western coverage gap between Muhanga and Kayonza. Combined with Kigali urban service, Zipline will soon cover the entire country from three distribution centers. No other drone delivery company operates at national scale anywhere.

This is the first signed deal under the State Department’s $150 million contract. Watch for Ghana or Kenya to follow within six months. The pay-for-performance model means each subsequent deal gets easier to justify as Rwanda’s data proves the return. I expect at least three African countries will have signed by year’s end.

Editorial Note: This article was researched and drafted with the assistance of AI to ensure technical accuracy and archive retrieval. All insights, industry analysis, and perspectives were provided exclusively by Haye Kesteloo and our other DroneXL authors, editors, and YouTube partners to ensure the “Human-First” perspective our readers expect.