Dinner in Dubai is once again looking up quite literally.
Keeta Drone has resumed autonomous food delivery operations from Silicon Central Mall in Dubai Silicon Oasis, bringing shawarma, coffee, desserts and other meals back into the emirate’s increasingly futuristic delivery mix.
The relaunched service follows regulatory approval from the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority (DCAA) and initially serves eligible areas around Dubai Silicon Oasis rather than all of Dubai.
Customers in participating locations can order through the Keeta app from selected food and beverage merchants connected to Silicon Central Mall, which is managed by Line Investments & Property LLC.
Depending on the delivery location, orders are flown to designated collection points. Customers can collect eligible deliveries from lockers at Rochester Institute of Technology Dubai, commonly known as RIT Dubai, or at the Emirates Building near Foodings Cafe in Dubai Silicon Oasis.
In selected parts of Dubai Silicon Oasis, Keeta also operates a rider-collaboration model. Under that system, the drone handles part of the journey before a rider completes the final leg to the customer’s home.
So, while the image of a shawarma descending majestically onto a balcony may appeal to the imagination, the present system is rather more controlled and considerably more practical.
What can customers order by drone?
Keeta says participating merchants cover a broad range of food and beverage categories, including shawarma, coffee, boba and speciality drinks, desserts, Italian cuisine and Indian cuisine.
The company has not published a complete list of participating restaurants, citywide operating hours or standard delivery pricing for the service. Availability therefore depends on the customer’s location and the options displayed in the Keeta app.
Junwei Yang, General Manager of Keeta Drone, said Dubai remained the company’s principal international expansion market.
“Dubai is Keeta Drone’s primary market for international expansion,” Yang said.
He said the resumed service marked further progress toward a scalable delivery network and was intended to make selected deliveries more efficient while broadening access for participating merchants.
Yang also credited cooperation with the DCAA, technology operators, government entities and local partners with helping establish the operational framework required for autonomous deliveries.
Dubai’s drone ambitions are already well established
The latest restart is not Dubai’s first venture into drone food delivery.
Dubai formally launched Keeta-powered drone delivery operations at Dubai Silicon Oasis in December 2024, following pilot operations designed around aviation safety and security requirements. It was Keeta Drone’s first venture outside the Greater China region.
In January 2025, the DCAA signed a memorandum of understanding with Keeta Drones covering issues including the assessment and approval of operating zones, infrastructure requirements, airspace needs and safety and security standards.
By October 2025, Dubai authorities said Keeta Drone was operating four routes in Dubai Silicon Oasis, while another route had been launched in Nad Al Sheba.
That history makes the latest Silicon Central Mall operation an important resumption and expansion of an existing commercial drone-delivery network, rather than a first-time technology demonstration.
From novelty to everyday delivery
For Dubai, the significance is less about whether a drone can carry lunch and more about whether autonomous aviation can become a dependable part of everyday urban logistics.
Keeta has integrated drone delivery into its existing app rather than building a separate platform, making the service accessible much like a conventional food order wherever the drone option is available.
Yang said the company wanted to make the customer experience straightforward and to continue expanding the network safely into more communities.
For Dubai, the service also fits comfortably with its wider push into smart mobility, automated logistics and low-altitude aviation.
The city has spent several years developing regulatory systems for commercial drone operations, balancing innovation against the rather important requirement that unmanned aircraft and busy urban environments coexist safely.
For travel industry observers, the development is another small but highly visible example of Dubai using technology as part of the destination experience.
Visitors may still come for the beaches, shopping, hotels, restaurants and skyscrapers. But in parts of Dubai Silicon Oasis, even the takeaway is now acquiring an aviation component.
How to use Keeta drone delivery in Dubai
Customers in eligible areas should open the Keeta app and check participating merchants connected to the Silicon Central Mall operation.
Where drone delivery is available, the app will provide the applicable delivery or collection option. Depending on the location, that may involve collection from a designated locker or a combined drone-and-rider delivery to the home.
Keeta says it plans to add more locations as its Dubai network expands.
The message is simple enough: in Dubai, even humble shawarma now has frequent-flyer ambitions.
By: John Alwyn-Jones – © 2026.
Read Time: 4 minutes.
Author Bio:
John Alwyn-Jones is one of those rare figures who can make the business of travel sound positively adventurous.
A lifelong communicator with the polish of a broadcaster and the curiosity of a journalist, he’s spent decades shaping stories and strategies across tourism, aviation, and the cruise world. He’s led from the front as CEO, director, mentor, and advisor, and still brings warmth and wit to every boardroom and microphone.
Known for his sharp insight into global cruise lines and destinations, John has an old-school belief in professionalism, tempered with the sparkle of someone who’s genuinely seen the world. He’s not just in the business of travel; he’s made it an art form.
