Flytrex Secures FAA Authorization for One-Mile Drone Delivery Operations
Flytrex has received regulatory clearance from the Federal Aviation Administration to significantly expand the reach of its drone delivery service in North Carolina. The approval enables Flytrex to operate deliveries within a one-nautical-mile radius at all of its active locations in the state, dramatically increasing the number of households eligible for service.
With this expanded operational envelope, Flytrex can now serve roughly 10,000 opt-in homes, delivering food, beverages, and retail items via autonomous aircraft. The authorization also allows the company’s drones to fly over people and moving vehicles—an important regulatory milestone for scalable suburban delivery. All flights will continue to be conducted in partnership with Causey Aviation Unmanned, with both organizations adhering to strict safety and operational standards.
The newly granted approval builds on Flytrex’s growing track record in the United States. The company has already completed thousands of drone deliveries—more than any other drone delivery provider currently operating domestically—and maintains a broader portfolio of restaurant and retail partnerships than its competitors. Its service model focuses on rapid fulfillment, often completing deliveries within approximately five minutes from order to drop-off.
Flytrex’s regulatory progress follows a series of recent company milestones. Earlier this year, the company closed a $40 million Series C funding round to accelerate U.S. expansion and deepen collaborations with national and regional retailers as well as quick-service restaurant chains. In October 2021, Flytrex launched its third delivery station in North Carolina, operating out of the Holly Springs Towne Center and serving nearby neighborhoods directly to customers’ backyards.
The company’s presence in North Carolina dates back to September 2020, when it began operations in Fayetteville. Service later expanded to Raeford, and demand has grown rapidly. Since February 2021, order volume across Flytrex’s North Carolina locations has increased more than tenfold, reflecting rising consumer interest in fast, contactless delivery options.
From a customer perspective, the ordering experience remains unchanged. Eligible residents place orders through the Flytrex mobile application, selecting from participating local restaurants, cafés, and retail outlets. The app provides real-time updates as the drone travels to its destination, where the package is gently lowered into the customer’s yard using a tether system.
According to Flytrex co-founder and CEO Yariv Bash, the approval represents a turning point for suburban drone delivery. He noted that regulatory progress is moving faster than many anticipated and that the expanded radius will help meet growing demand for efficient, on-demand service beyond dense urban cores. Flytrex aims to bring ultra-fast delivery to neighborhoods across the country as regulations continue to evolve.
Flytrex’s operational experience extends beyond the United States. In 2017, the company launched what it describes as the world’s first fully autonomous urban drone delivery system in Reykjavik, Iceland. Since then, it has worked closely with public agencies in the U.S., including the North Carolina Department of Transportation, as part of the FAA’s BEYOND Initiative. That program builds on the earlier UAS Integration Pilot Program, which concluded in 2020 and focused on addressing key challenges related to integrating unmanned aircraft into national airspace.
About Flytrex
Flytrex is a business-to-consumer autonomous delivery company focused on enabling retailers and quick-service restaurants to better serve suburban communities. By combining aviation-grade drones with cloud-based control systems, Flytrex offers rapid, cost-effective, and environmentally sustainable delivery. As a participant in both the FAA’s UAS Integration Pilot Program and the BEYOND Initiative, the company is helping shape the future of on-demand delivery in the United States.
