Irish Drone Delivery Startup Manna Building 1,000-Person US Factory in Tulsa to Compete with Zipline and Wing
Manna, an autonomous drone delivery startup based in Ireland, is expanding its operations significantly by building a large manufacturing and operational center in Tulsa, Oklahoma, employing around 1,000 people. This move follows their decision to leave Ireland due to a lack of planning regulations.
Manna Aero’s US expansion plans include:
- Construction of the new facility in Tulsa, with manufacturing expected to begin within a year.
- Scaling their operations team from 200-300 people over the next 12 months.
- Hiring for the factory will depend on the pace of expansion beyond Tulsa.
- Assessment of six additional US cities by the end of 2027, aiming to enter them.
The startup’s CEO, Bobby Healy, expressed confidence in their prospects in the United States: "The United States has the market that everybody wants." He cited the large market size, consumer behavior, and consolidation among delivery aggregators like DoorDash and Uber Eats as key factors.
Manna operates unique autonomous drones that lower packages on a tether rather than landing. They have a hybrid business model, charging per flight for delivery-as-a-service while partnering with companies like DoorDash, Deliveroo, and Uber Eats in Europe.
The US drone delivery market has evolved from novelty to competition, with major players including Amazon, Walmart, and Zipline scaling their operations there. The Trump administration and the FAA’s regulatory support have been crucial to this "turbo boost" for the industry.
Manna is already present in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, having started operations in 2023 within the AllianceTexas Mobility Innovation Zone. Healy predicts "We’ll catch up quickly" as they expand further into the US market.