Bobby Healy, founder and CEO of Dublin-based drone delivery company Manna, says the company is preparing to enter the US market after years of building its operations in Europe. Healy cites an improved regulatory environment as the primary driver of the timing. “We haven’t even tried in the United States up until now and now is the time because of the regulated environment,” he said.
Manna has completed 300,000 deliveries to date and is targeting 2,000,000 annualized deliveries by the end of 2026. The company reports a 97% delivery availability rate despite operating in challenging Irish weather conditions.
On the economics side, Healy says Manna is already profitable on nearly every delivery, with the marginal cost per flight expected to fall to between $1 and $2 by end of year. The company’s operational model relies on a central depot with drones distributed across cities for rapid deployment. Food delivery is a particular focus, as predictable meal preparation times allow for tighter logistics coordination.
Before founding Manna, Healy built and scaled CarTrawler, a travel technology platform serving airlines. Manna’s European track record forms the basis of its case for US expansion.
Source: Manna CEO: 300,000 Deliveries Later, Drone Startup Eyes US Market