Grab takes to the skies: Philippines launches drone delivery pilot

Grab is going airborne. In a move that could reshape the face of last-mile logistics in Southeast Asia’s most traffic-choked cities, Grab Philippines has partnered with the department of information and communications technology (DICT), the department of transportation (DOTr), and property giant Megaworld to launch the country’s first commercial drone delivery pilot.

The programme marks a turning point in how technology, policy, and infrastructure might converge to answer a pressing question for urban Asia: how do you get goods to people faster, smarter, and with less friction?

At the heart of the trial is a hybrid model. Grab riders will handle collection and final delivery from designated drone landing zones, while unmanned aerial vehicles will take on the mid-mile, flying over congestion and cutting down delays that plague traditional road networks.

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“We are constantly exploring new technologies that could help us serve our communities better, such as drone-powered deliveries,” said Ronald Roda, managing director of Grab Philippines. “This pilot is an opportunity for us to learn and understand how drone deliveries might work in the Philippine context, from dense urban neighbourhoods to underserved areas. We’re optimistic about the insights this pilot will bring, and we look forward to co-creating solutions that benefit everyone in the ecosystem – from consumers, merchant-partners, and our delivery-partners.”

The pilot will be conducted between two Megaworld developments in Metro Manila – a deliberately controlled setting designed to probe the real-world viability of drones in commercial delivery. Only selected users and merchants will be able to access the service during its initial run, providing Grab and its partners with valuable operational and regulatory data.

The drone pilot reflects a wider urgency to rethink how goods – and people – move across the Philippines, a country where urban sprawl and archipelagic geography combine to create logistical headaches.

“If we want to solve traffic and improve connectivity in a meaningful way, we have to think beyond roads,” said DOTr secretary Vince Dizon. “Drone logistics is one of the tools that can help us move faster, smarter, and more sustainably. This pilot reflects the kind of innovation we want to encourage as we build a truly modern transport ecosystem, without compromising the safety and security of our air transport through meaningful and responsive regulatory framework.”

For the DICT, the pilot is just as much about digital transformation as it is about logistics. “We see this as an opportunity to guide the responsible use of drone technology,” said undersecretary Christina Faye Condez-de Sagon. “Our role is to ensure that it benefits people while also supporting the nation’s digital transformation agenda.”

Megaworld, known for building self-contained mixed-use communities, sees drone delivery as a logical step toward creating smarter cities. “Partnering on drone delivery allows us to offer more sustainable, efficient, and forward-thinking services to our residents, office workers, and mall partners,” said Tyrone Tan, cluster general manager of Megaworld Lifestyle Malls.

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