Ohio’s first food drone delivery takes flight in Dayton

The city that gave the world human flight just used its legacy to deliver a New York-style pastrami sandwich.

On June 4, Dayton-based autonomous logistics firm Dexa and local staple All The Best Delicatessen successfully executed Ohio’s first-ever commercial food drone delivery.

Operating on Dayton’s south side under clear weather, the flight transported a boxed lunch—complete with a sandwich, side, and a pickle—from the deli’s Far Hills Avenue kitchen to a residential delivery site roughly 1.5 miles away. The aircraft completed the round-trip operation seamlessly, returning safely to the restaurant's parking lot within a few minutes before an onlookers' circle of local media and community members.

For the drivers who paused at stoplights to watch the autonomous aircraft overhead, it was a momentary spectacle. For Ohio’s logistics sector, it marks a key commercial translation of some of the most advanced aviation permissions in the United States.

“This demo is a glimpse into the future of how autonomous technology will help restaurants and retailers serve customers at a completely new level," said Beth Flippo, Chief Executive Officer of Dexa of the delivery.

The first flight

• The Local Setup: Employees at All The Best Delicatessen packaged and boxed the meal before secure attachment to Dexa’s automated delivery system. The drone navigated the 1.5-mile route and back entirely autonomously.
• The Regulatory Context: Dexa is one of only four companies in the U.S. (alongside Amazon, Google's Wing, and Zipline) to simultaneously hold an FAA airworthiness certification, a Part 135 Air Carrier Certificate, and a national Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) waiver.
• The Strategic Shift: While Dexa spent early 2026 testing its systems in dense East Coast airspace through a high-profile pilot with Grubhub and Wonder in New Jersey, the Dayton flight brings that identical operational capability back to its homegrown backyard.

Why it matters

The demonstration brings Dexa’s broader corporate thesis into sharp focus: leveling the playing field for neighborhood retailers. While logistics giants utilize autonomous networks for national fulfillment, Dexa's model focuses heavily on localized, point-to-point commerce. By leveraging onboard AI developed in collaboration with Microsoft, Dexa’s aircraft can analyze landscapes mid-flight to isolate safe landing footprints independently—removing traditional courier overhead for regional small businesses.

"At All The Best Delicatessen, quality has always come first," said owner Lee Schear. "It's an exciting way to show that old traditions and new innovation can work hand in hand."

The bigger opportunity

Ohio has actively positioned itself as a primary testbed for advanced air mobility infrastructure. By transitioning its FAA-certified "airline" status from abstract regulatory approvals to public, 1.5-mile neighborhood food runs, Dexa is aiming to prove that unmanned logistics can operate reliably within everyday suburban and urban retail corridors.