Drone Delivery Launches Near Tulsa’s Cherry Street

Drone Delivery Has Officially Landed in Tulsa

A new kind of delivery service is now operating above part of Midtown Tulsa.

Manna Air Delivery launched commercial service near Cherry Street on August 12, allowing eligible customers to receive food and other small items by drone. The initial service area covers approximately two miles surrounding the company’s first Tulsa base.

It is a limited launch, not yet a citywide service—but it gives Tulsa residents an early look at how air delivery could become part of everyday local commerce.

How Tulsa’s Drone Delivery Works

Customers begin by downloading the Manna app and entering their address. The app determines whether the property is currently inside the service area and has a suitable delivery location.

If the address qualifies, customers can order from participating businesses and follow the aircraft’s progress through the app.

Manna employees collect orders from local businesses and bring them to the Cherry Street base. The package is then loaded onto an aircraft that rises to its travel altitude and flies to the customer’s location.

Local reporting says the aircraft travels at approximately 200 feet before descending to around 50 feet and lowering the package gently by tether. The aircraft does not need to land in the yard.

Manna says the flight may take approximately three minutes once an order is loaded. That is not a guarantee of the total time from placing an order to receiving it.

Which Tulsa Businesses Are Participating?

The first participating businesses identified by local reporting are:

• Andolini’s Pizzeria
• Paréa Coffee
• Sapori
• Firefly Brew

Restaurants may offer a specialized air-delivery menu because aircraft have package-size and weight limits. Participating businesses and available products can change, so customers should use the app for current information.

Where Is Delivery Available?

Current service is limited to approximately two miles around Manna’s Cherry Street base.

That means most Tulsa residents cannot use it yet. Even inside the radius, individual addresses must meet the delivery service’s location requirements.

Manna is initially operating on a limited schedule. The company says it intends to expand toward seven-day service from 9 a.m. until 9 p.m., but customers should check the app rather than assume those hours are already available.

Why Did Manna Choose Tulsa?

Manna selected Tulsa as the center of its United States expansion, citing the city’s aviation history, workforce and manageable metropolitan size.

The company says it expects to create more than 1,000 Tulsa jobs during the next three years across aviation operations, manufacturing, maintenance, customer service and other business functions. That is a company projection—not a current employment count or guaranteed result.

Manna also intends to build additional local hubs. No firm public schedule has been provided for extending service beyond the current Cherry Street area.

What Could This Mean for Local Businesses?

Air delivery could eventually give restaurants and retailers another way to fulfill small orders without putting an additional vehicle on the road.

For independent businesses, the interesting question will be whether the technology provides a practical and affordable option that complements customer pickup and conventional delivery services.

The initial partners give the company a real-world opportunity to test ordering, packaging, travel time and customer interest in a dense Tulsa neighborhood.

Neighborhood Questions Are Part of the Story

The launch has generated excitement, but some nearby residents have also raised questions about aircraft noise, privacy, hub locations and the effect of frequent flights on surrounding neighborhoods.

Those concerns should not be dismissed as resistance to technology. They are reasonable questions whenever a new commercial use begins operating near homes.

The current launch will provide more concrete information about how frequently the aircraft fly, how noticeable they are and how the company responds to community feedback.

An Interesting New Chapter for Tulsa

Tulsa has long identified itself with aviation. Drone delivery brings that history into an entirely different kind of neighborhood-level service.

For now, the most accurate description is straightforward: commercial drone delivery is operating near Cherry Street, several local businesses are participating and expansion is planned—but most of Tulsa is not yet covered.

Whether it becomes an everyday convenience or remains a specialized service will depend on customer demand, neighborhood experience and how successfully the company expands.

Would you be comfortable having dinner delivered to your backyard by drone?

Sources: Manna Air Delivery, KTUL launch coverage, 2 News Oklahoma and Tulsa Flyer’s community reporting