Dubai, United Arab Emirates : talabat, the leading on-demand delivery platform in MENA, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the advanced technology company , K2, to pilot a commercial drone delivery service for food and groceries. This strategic partnership reflects both entities’ commitment to innovation, community impact, and sustainable growth.
The collaboration brings together two market leaders with a shared vision for enhancing service ecosystems and delivering long-term value across key touchpoints. It enables the development and testing of a drone-to-station delivery model, designed to explore how to enhance delivery efficiency, and reduce operational emissions, and streamline logistics in high-demand areas.
Mayank Khaitan, Director, Logistics, at talabat said: “At talabat, innovation is at the core of how we evolve the last-mile experience for our customers and riders. Our partnership with K2 marks an important step in exploring autonomous delivery capabilities that make our operations smarter, safer, and more efficient. By integrating cutting-edge technology with scalable delivery solutions, we’re supporting the UAE’s vision for a future where intelligent mobility drives real impact.”
Waleed AlBlooshi, Vice President of Strategy, K2 said: “Our collaboration with talabat marks another important step in shaping Abu Dhabi’s autonomous future. By integrating drone delivery into K2’s smart-city ecosystem, we are proving that autonomy is no longer a concept – it is a real service that improves everyday life. Together with talabat, we’re building scalable, practical solutions that will redefine last-mile delivery across the UAE.”
Through this pilot, talabat and K2 will explore the practical applications of drone delivery in urban environments, testing ways to improve delivery efficiency, reduce emissions, and streamline operations. The partnership reflects both companies’ commitment to innovation and learning, while supporting the UAE’s vision for smarter, future-ready logistics.
About talabat
talabat is the leading on-demand delivery platform in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, offering customers a convenient and personalized way to order food, groceries, and other convenience products from a wide selection of restaurants and retailers. Founded in Kuwait in 2004, talabat has expanded its operations to the United Arab Emirates, Oman, Qatar, Bahrain, Jordan, Iraq, and Egypt, serving over six and a half million active customers as of December 2024. talabat is headquartered in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates and in December 2024, successfully completed its initial public offering on the Dubai Financial Market (DFM). As a subsidiary of Delivery Hero SE, talabat leverages global expertise to strengthen its market position and drive innovation in the on-demand delivery sector, focusing on expanding its product offerings and increasing market penetration across its operating regions. With a robust network of over thousands of partners and riders, talabat continues to solidify its leadership in the MENA region’s on-demand delivery market, connecting customers, partners, and riders through its advanced technology platform.
About K2
K2 is a Abu Dhabi Government owned advanced technologies company pioneering the next frontier of innovation. We design and develop intelligent systems across robotics, autonomous mobility, and performance science — building solutions that operate at the highest levels of precision, adaptability, and impact. Rooted in the spirit of resilience and driven by a vision of progress, K2 exists to elevate the world around us — empowering both humans and machines to reach new heights.
