iFood’s participation is part of a bridge funding round totaling US$5.8 million
Round includes contributions from investment funds from Europe, US and Brazil.
Funds will accelerate growth and expand drone delivery operations
The Brazilian drone delivery market is expected to grow to over 40 million annual deliveries in the next years, according to projections.
São Paulo, January 2026 – Speedbird Aero, a global company with headquarters in Brazil and Portugal, specializing in unmanned aerial logistics, announces a strategic investment from iFood to accelerate the development and scaling drone delivery operations in Brazil. iFood is Brazil’s dominant food-delivery platform and one of Latin America’s most influential consumer-tech companies. Founded in 2011 and headquartered in São Paulo, the company has grown into the country’s undisputed market leader, with 180 million deliveries in January 2026. The partnership represents a significant step forward in expanding autonomous aerial logistics, with a focus on use cases where traditional delivery faces operational and economic constraints.
Speedbird Aero is currently the only company in Brazil certified by ANAC (Brazil’s National Civil Aviation Agency) to operate BVLOS flights (Beyond Visual Line of Sight) with two drone models approved for cargo delivery. As part of the partnership, Speedbird will be responsible for manufacturing, operating, and maintaining the drones, as well as securing all required regulatory approvals and licenses, ensuring full compliance with aviation and safety standards.
The investment comes at a moment of operational maturity for Speedbird Aero. In October, the company received ANAC’s first permanent authorization for safe flights over populated areas in the state of Sergipe, Brazil. Launched in 2020, the on-going Sergipe operation is a global pioneer and the longest running food drone delivery operation in the World.
As part o this expansion phase, one of the first new routes being developed is within São Paulo metropolitan area, one of largest urban air mobility markets in the World, connecting a shopping center to nearby residential condominiums. Looking ahead, the joint strategy includes identifying and deploying new long-distance routes that are currently ineƯicient or unviable for traditional delivery. The focus will be on scenarios involving geographic barriers and large residential or commercial complexes, where drones can significantly reduce delivery times while complemented by the work of couriers in the final leg of the journey.
“This investment strengthens our mission to make drones a safe, scalable, and viable logistics mode for large urban centers and regions with geographic challenges,” says Manoel Coelho, CEO of Speedbird Aero. “Our technology is already present in 14 countries, and this partnership allows us to accelerate scale in our home market, as our forecast indicates that Brazil’s drone delivery segment has the potential to surpass 40 million deliveries annually.”
“We work continuously to advance our logistics operation with a forward-looking perspective. We believe in a scenario where couriers remain at the center of deliveries, supported by important technological solutions that further connect neighborhoods and cities to delivery services. This expands restaurants’ exposure to customers, improving the lives of both sellers and consumers,” says Mariana Werneck, Senior Director of Logistics at iFood.
“We believe that innovation means building together with those who master local technology. Speedbird is a Brazilian company that, like us, invests in cutting-edge solutions to address the challenges of our territory.”
The partnership with iFood reinforces Speedbird Aero’s commitment to applying advanced technology to real-world logistics challenges, positioning drones as a complementary solution to traditional delivery models and expanding access for businesses and consumers to faster and more eƯicient services.
About Speedbird
Speedbird Aero is a global company with headquarters in Brazil and Portugal, specializing in unmanned aerial logistics. The company develops, manufactures, and operates drone delivery systems and is currently the only company in Brazil certified by ANAC (Brazil’s National Civil Aviation Agency) to operate BVLOS (Beyond Visual Line of Sight) flights with two drone models approved for cargo delivery. Speedbird Aero has successfully completed nearly 40,000 commercial drone missions to date, demonstrating the maturity and reliability of its operations across real-world logistics use cases. With technology already present in 14 countries, the company is focused on making drone logistics safe, scalable, and viable for large-scale deployment. Speedbird also oƯers its solution through an integrated “Drone as a Service (DaaS)” model, supporting customers with aircraft manufacturing, operations, and regulatory compliance.
About iFood:
iFood is a Brazilian technology company with 14 years of history and is today the leading platform and reference in the delivery sector across Latin America. By connecting merchants, consumers, and couriers within a single ecosystem, iFood oƯers practical solutions that go beyond meal delivery, addressing a wide range of needs while promoting social transformation through education and technology. Technology, innovation, and culture are the company’s core assets. Each month, iFood processes 180 million orders from more than 60 million customers, supporting an ecosystem that includes 500,000 connected couriers and 460,000 partner merchants across approximately 1,500 Brazilian cities. In addition to driving progress and convenience in areas such as grocery, pharmacy, fi fintech, and benefits, iFood has a significant economic impact through the “iFood EƯect,” generating more than 1 million direct and indirect jobs and contributing 0.64% to Brazil’s GDP.