Zipline surpasses 1 million deliveries and considers expanding to restaurants for further growth.

• Autonomous delivery drone startup Zipline has made 1 million deliveries to customers.
• The company announced that its zero-emission autonomous drones have accumulated over 70 million commercial autonomous miles in four continents.
• With its ongoing expansion, the company will add Panera Bread in Seattle, Memorial Hermann Health System in Houston, and Jet's Pizza in Detroit to its drone delivery services.

Zipline, an autonomous delivery drone startup, announced on Friday that it had reached its 1 millionth delivery to customers and was looking to expand its business by partnering with restaurants in its next phase of growth.

The startup, based in San Francisco, specializes in designing, constructing, and operating autonomous delivery drones. Its clientele includes more than 4,700 hospitals, including the Cleveland Clinic, as well as major brands such as Amazon and GNC. The company has raised over $500 million in funding from investors, including Sequoia Capital, a16z, and Google Ventures, and has been recognized as a CNBC Disruptor 50 company.

The company announced that its zero-emission drones have completed over 70 million autonomous commercial miles in four continents and delivered over 10 million products.

In Ghana, a Zipline distribution center marked a milestone with its 1 millionth delivery, transporting two bags of IV fluid to a nearby health facility.

Panera Bread, Memorial Hermann Health System, and Jet's Pizza will be added to the company's roster as it expands.

In the past two years, 70% of Zipline CEO Keller Rinaudo Cliffton's company's deliveries have occurred, and the future objective is to achieve 1 million deliveries per day.

"Rinaudo Cliffton stated that the three areas where incentives are most effective today are health care, quick commerce and food, and these are the three primary markets that we concentrate on. Our objective is to collaborate with the top brands or institutions in each of these markets."

An "obvious transition" in restaurant partnerships is evident, as the demand for instant food delivery continues to grow, said the speaker. Zipline currently delivers food from Walmart to customers.

"Rinaudo Cliffton stated that we should switch to vehicles that are light, fast, autonomous, and zero-emission. This approach would deliver orders 10 times faster, at a lower cost, and triple the service radius, resulting in 10 times more reachable customers via instant delivery."

Zipline deliveries are expected to begin at some Panera locations in Seattle next year, according to Ron Bellamy, the chief operating officer of the Panera franchisee. Despite the inflationary environment, delivery continues to grow for their business. Bellamy stated that the costs with Zipline are anticipated to be on par with what third-party delivery currently costs, with the hope that the cost will lower over time.

Bellamy stated, "I am optimistic about it, not only in terms of my contribution to the business, but as a customer, I believe that if it is affordable and provides a superior overall experience, then the consumer will ultimately decide."