Operation in Alphaville, Greater São Paulo, integrates Speedbird aircraft, autonomous robot, and partner delivery riders in a multimodal model
São Paulo, June 1, 2026 – Speedbird Aero, a Brazilian company specialized in autonomous aircraft and drone logistics operations, and iFood, Brazilian tech company, announced today the launch of a new drone delivery route in Greater São Paulo. Starting June 1, Alphaville, will feature a multimodal operation that integrates in-mall pickup, air transport carried out by a Speedbird aircraft, and final delivery by partner riders.
The new route was designed to address a concrete urban logistics challenge: areas with complex access, long wait times, and high rejection rates among delivery riders. In the Barueri operation specifically, the served route recorded nearly 50% order rejection, due to access difficulties and the time involved in delivering to large residential complexes.
With the Speedbird aircraft, the 3.6-kilometer aerial stretch is now completed in approximately five minutes, reducing operational bottlenecks and expanding service viability for restaurants, consumers, and delivery riders.
The flow begins at Shopping Iguatemi Alphaville, where the order is picked up internally by a courier or by Ada, iFood’s autonomous robot. The order is then transported by the Speedbird aircraft along the aerial segment, and finally delivered by motorcycle to the end consumer.
For Speedbird Aero, this initiative represents a further step in establishing drones as complementary infrastructure for urban logistics. The company is responsible for the aircraft, onboard technology, and flight control, as well as monitoring from its control center in Franca, in upstate São Paulo.
“Operations like this show that drone delivery has moved beyond the experimental stage and is beginning to play a real role within complex logistics systems. Our focus is on ensuring this technology is applied safely, efficiently, and integrated with the existing ecosystem, creating new possibilities for platforms, restaurants, and consumers,” said Manoel Coelho, CEO and co-founder of Speedbird Aero.
The aircraft utilized in the operation was developed by Speedbird Aero and has been integrated into iFood’s Sergipe operations since its launch last year. It has a payload capacity of up to 5 kg, flies at up to 50 km/h, and operates at altitudes of up to 60 meters. The model features GPS, an emergency parachute, and was designed to operate safely under various conditions, including winds of up to 55 km/h and light rain.
Each route holds the necessary authorizations from Brazil’s National Civil Aviation Agency (ANAC) and the Department of Airspace Control (DECEA). Every flight path is controlled and monitored by Speedbird with dedicated real-time oversight, ensuring safe operations integrated into Greater São Paulo’s airspace.
The new Alphaville operation continues the technological progress already demonstrated in Sergipe, where the aerial route connecting a shopping mall in Aracaju to residents of Barra dos Coqueiros has surpassed 5,000 orders since October, averaging 800 deliveries per month. In the Sergipe operation, a ground journey of approximately 36 kilometers — which could take around one hour — was transformed into a flight of under four kilometers completed in just a few minutes, with the final leg also handled by delivery riders.
Beyond reducing travel times, the model has the potential to unlock new service areas, boost demand for restaurants, and make previously unproductive or nonexistent routes viable within traditional delivery networks.
Technical Data
- Aircraft: developed and operated by Speedbird Aero
- Payload capacity: up to 5 kg (food orders only at this stage)
- Speed: up to 50 km/h
- Altitude: up to 60 meters
- Aerial segment: 3.6 km, completed in approximately five minutes
- Safety features: GPS, emergency parachute, and remote monitoring
- Operations: Speedbird Aero control center in Franca, São Paulo
- Fleet: two drones available per route, dispatched on demand
- Weather resistance: operation in winds up to 55 km/h and light rain up to 5 mm/hour
About Speedbird Aero
Speedbird Aero is a Brazilian drone logistics pioneer specialized in the development and operation of autonomous aircraft for safe, certified and scalable missions. With more than 40,000 commercial missions across 14 countries, the company operates as both an OEM and an operator in Brazil and Europe, with autonomous air systems enabled for BVLOS, or Beyond Visual Line of Sight, operations. Its milestones include pioneering operations in Israel, the United Kingdom, Italy, Brazil and the United States, including drone delivery services with Royal Mail, daily operations over densely populated areas and drone delivery from the world’s busiest heliport in New York City. Speedbird works alongside strategic partners such as iFood, Embraer, Vale, MSC, Skyports, Royal Mail, UrbanV and others.
Contact
Débora Ambar – Marketing & Communications. Whatsapp: +55 11 93026-2132