Manna expands drone delivery network with $50M boost

Ireland-based drone delivery company Manna Air Delivery is making a serious push into the US, and it just secured the funding to back it up. The company announced a fresh $50 million Series B round, bringing its total funding to $110 million, as it prepares to rapidly scale operations across the United States and Europe.

The round was led by ARK Invest — known for backing disruptive names like OpenAI, Anthropic, Tesla, and SpaceX — along with Schooner Capital and participation from the Ireland Strategic Investment Fund.

So, what’s the big plan? Manna wants to build out as many as 40 drone delivery bases across the US, signaling one of the most aggressive expansion moves we’ve seen in the consumer drone delivery space.

If you haven’t been following Manna closely, the company isn’t new to this game. Over the past seven years, it has quietly built one of the busiest drone delivery networks in the world, completing more than 250,000 regulated commercial UAV flights.

Its operations have spanned Ireland, Finland, and even parts of Texas, giving it real-world experience in navigating both European and US regulatory environments. That matters, especially in a space where scaling beyond pilot programs has been notoriously difficult.

Earlier this year, even Federal Aviation Administration leadership took notice. Administrator Bryan Bedford visited Manna’s Dublin headquarters to see firsthand how the company runs its drone logistics system — hinting at growing regulatory interest in making these operations viable at scale.

And Manna isn’t trying to build this ecosystem alone. The company is increasingly positioning itself as the backend infrastructure for instant delivery. It recently partnered with Uber, adding to an already impressive list that includes Deliveroo, Just Eat, and DoorDash. That means customers can order through familiar apps while drones handle the last mile, delivering everything from meals and books to medical supplies and clothing.

Here’s where things get interesting. Manna claims its drones can deliver items in under three minutes in suburban areas. That’s not just fast; it’s potentially game-changing for how we think about local logistics. The company also says its system can reduce CO₂ emissions by up to 85% compared to road-based delivery, while easing congestion on already crowded streets.

For local businesses, especially smaller retailers, the pitch is equally compelling: profitable last-mile delivery without the cost and complexity of hiring drivers or managing fleets. Manna says it’s already demonstrated positive unit economics — a milestone many drone delivery startups are still chasing.

CEO Bobby Healy sums up the new funding round pretty clearly: the tech works, the economics work, now it’s all about scale.

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