The archive · Logistics & Supply · Strategic decision · 2019–2026
Manna's drone-delivery bet scales: 380k deliveries, $110M raised, US hub in Tulsa
Dublin's Manna proved drone delivery across Irish suburbs, then bet US rules would open: $50M Series B, 40 bases, Tulsa hub.
Manna Air Delivery
What the business is
A Dublin drone-delivery company that designs, builds and operates its own aircraft and flight software to drop food and retail orders in minutes from suburban hubs, now expanding across the US.
Starting capital：$110M total after the $50M Series B announced in 2026, per ThinkBusiness and StatTimes; earlier backing included a $25M Series A in April 2021 led by Draper Esprit with DST Global and Team Europe, reported by Silicon Republic.
How it started
Founded by Bobby Healy, a former CarTrawler executive, Manna began building and testing delivery drones in 2019 and by April 2021 was operating controlled commercial services in Oranmore, Co Galway under Irish Aviation Authority guidance - delivering food and other goods up to 3kg, with one operator managing multiple drones doing about 20 deliveries an hour and roughly 30% of Oranmore's 10,000 residents having used the service, per Silicon Republic.
What happened
After the $25M Series A in April 2021, Manna expanded across Ireland to Moneygall, Balbriggan, Dublin West (Blanchardstown) and Cork, later adding Finland and the Dallas-Fort Worth area of Texas. By March 2026 it had completed more than 250,000 regulated commercial flights, held a Gold Standard Light UAS Operator Certificate under the EASA framework, reported sub-three-minute deliveries, an 85% CO2 reduction versus road delivery and an NPS of 86, and had added Uber to its partner network alongside Deliveroo, Just Eat and DoorDash. It closed a $50M Series B in March-April 2026 - investors included ARK Invest, the Ireland Strategic Investment Fund and Schooner Capital - to fund expansion to 40 operational bases across the US and Europe.
How it ended up
Live and pivoting: Manna paused its Irish operations in June 2026 and in early July 2026 launched its first full-scale US metropolitan operation in Tulsa, Oklahoma, targeting roughly 90% of Tulsa homes within a year and more than 1,000 US jobs over three years, while Dallas-area operations continued under FAA rules. Its global HQ and R&D stay in Ireland.
Background
Manna is a Dublin drone-delivery company founded by Bobby Healy, a former CarTrawler executive, that designs, builds and operates its own aircraft and flight software. Its bet: regulators would eventually let drones carry everyday retail orders, and the company that proved the economics in patient suburban markets would be the one allowed to scale when the rules opened.
Ireland was the proving ground. Manna began building and testing drones in 2019 and by 2021 was running controlled commercial services in Oranmore, Co Galway under Irish Aviation Authority guidance, delivering food, pharmacy items and groceries up to 3kg with roughly 30% of the town's 10,000 residents using the service. A $25M Series A in April 2021, led by Draper Esprit with DST Global and Team Europe, funded expansion across Ireland to Moneygall, Balbriggan, Dublin West and Cork.
By March 2026 Manna had completed more than 250,000 regulated commercial flights, held a Gold Standard Light UAS Operator Certificate under the EASA framework, and reported sub-three-minute deliveries and an NPS of 86. It closed a $50M Series B with ARK Invest, ISIF and Schooner Capital joining Coca-Cola HBC, Molten Ventures and Enterprise Ireland, lifting total funding to $110M and funding a plan for 40 operational bases across the US and Europe - and roughly 380,000 global deliveries had been completed by August 2026.
The US became the next chapter. Manna paused its Irish operations in June 2026 and launched its first full-scale US metropolitan operation in Tulsa, Oklahoma, in early July 2026, targeting roughly 90% of Tulsa homes within a year and more than 1,000 US jobs over three years, while Dallas-area operations continued. Its global headquarters and R&D remain in Ireland.
What has to be true
- Suburban delivery was a wedge regulators could permit: short, low-altitude hops over low-density housing are far easier to clear than urban beyond-visual-line-of-sight routes.
- Manna plugged into existing order flows - Just Eat, Tesco, then Deliveroo, DoorDash and Uber - instead of spending to create its own consumer demand.
- Ireland gave it a patient proving ground: controlled operations under the Irish Aviation Authority turned into 250,000+ regulated flights and a real unit-economics claim.
- When the US policy window opened, Manna had volume and a blueprint to sell, and it raised $50M to pivot its centre of gravity to Tulsa.
What can be applied
Prove the operating model where regulation first says yes, then ride the rule change: 250k suburban flights made Manna the obvious pick when the US opened up.
Aftermath
As of September 2, 2026, Manna is scaling in the US: Tulsa launched its first full-scale metropolitan operation in early July 2026 - targeting roughly 90% of Tulsa homes within a year and 1,000+ US manufacturing jobs over three years - while Dallas-area operations continue under FAA rules. Irish operations were paused in June 2026 as resources shifted to the US; its global HQ and R&D remain in Ireland. Manna reported roughly 380,000 global deliveries since 2018 in August 2026, closed a $50M Series B at $110M total, and is working toward 40 operational bases in the US and Europe.
Sources
- Manna raises $50mn Series B to expand air delivery in US, Europe
- Manna soars with 400 jobs after raising $50m
- Manna CEO Explains Why Drone Firm Chose Tulsa for U.S. Hub
- Drone delivery player Manna raises $25m as it eyes expansion
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