Rwanda Expands Commercial Drone Delivery Nationwide

The expanded service comes as Rwanda finalizes an agreement with U.S. drone logistics company Zipline to roll out its next-generation urban delivery system, known as Platform 2 (P2). Under this phase, residents in cities including Kigali, Musanze and Rubavu are expected to begin receiving groceries, consumer goods and online purchases by drone as early as 2026.

Rwanda pioneered the first national autonomous drone delivery system in 2016 when it partnered with Zipline to deliver blood and essential medical supplies to rural hospitals. The early system helped overcome the country’s challenging terrain and limited road infrastructure by bringing life-saving cargo to hard-to-reach clinics.

In the latest expansion, the government and Zipline have agreed to extend drone logistics beyond healthcare, making Rwanda the first country with a fully integrated, nationwide autonomous delivery network for consumer goods. The P2 drones are designed for urban environments, capable of carrying around four to five kilograms of cargo per trip and serving a radius of roughly 20 to 25 kilometres. Deployment plans include test operations and regulatory approval ahead of full commercial rollout.

Officials say the expanded service could transform how goods move across the country, boosting e-commerce, improving delivery speeds and creating opportunities for businesses that lack efficient logistics options on the ground. Zipline’s presence in Rwanda has already been credited with enabling rapid delivery of medicine and emergency supplies in rural areas, and the new phase aims to replicate that model for everyday consumer demand.

At the 9th Aviation Africa Summit in 2025, Zipline’s country manager, Pierre Kayitana, noted that Rwanda’s regulatory environment and investment in innovation have made it possible to build one of the world’s most sophisticated autonomous delivery systems. Government representatives said they will continue to work closely with Zipline to ensure safety, reliability and community acceptance as commercial operations scale up.

The move reflects broader global interest in drone-based logistics, as countries and private firms explore the potential of autonomous aerial delivery to address last-mile challenges and expand access to goods in both urban and rural settings.