Uber Eats is taking another major step into autonomous delivery, announcing a new partnership with Starship Technologies to deploy sidewalk delivery robots across the United Kingdom.
The service is expected to officially launch in December, beginning in the Leeds and Sheffield regions before expanding across Europe and eventually the United States.
Starship Technologies, known for its compact six-wheeled autonomous robots, will integrate its fleet into Uber Eats’ delivery network, enabling select merchants to offer robotic deliveries during the initial rollout. The robots specialize in short-distance, hyper-local deliveries, typically traveling up to two miles and completing an order in under 30 minutes.
With nearly 3,000 robots operating in 270+ locations worldwide, Starship brings a proven, scalable model to Uber’s global ambitions in autonomous logistics.
For Uber, this partnership marks yet another addition to its growing roster of autonomous delivery collaborations. Uber Eats has already worked with Serve Robotics, which has been operating sidewalk robots for the platform in the U.S. for several years.
More recently, Uber added Avride’s autonomous sidewalk robots to further increase coverage and delivery options. The tie-up with Starship, however, brings one of the largest and most mature autonomous delivery fleets into the Uber ecosystem.
The introduction of robotic delivery in the UK comes at a time when the food delivery industry is under increasing pressure to improve efficiency and reduce costs. Robots offer a low-energy, low-emission alternative to traditional couriers, especially for short-distance orders that make up a significant portion of Uber Eats’ demand. They also provide predictable labor availability an advantage during peak times and periods of courier shortages.
Uber says the service will expand to additional European markets in 2026, followed by a planned deployment in the United States in 2027, signaling a long-term commitment to integrating robotics into its delivery infrastructure.
With autonomous technology accelerating globally and consumer behavior shifting toward fast, contactless services, Uber’s partnership with Starship represents a major milestone. It not only strengthens Uber Eats’ competitive edge but also pushes the broader food delivery industry toward a future where small, intelligent robots share the sidewalk with everyday pedestrians quietly transforming the last mile of delivery.
