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Flytrex Appoints Former Waze CEO and Google VP Noam Bardin as Executive Chairman

via Business Wire

Bardin Joins Flytrex as Company Aims to Scale Across the United States

Flytrex, the leading autonomous drone food delivery service, today announced the appointment of Noam Bardin as Executive Chairman of its Board of Directors. Bardin, who built Waze into a globally beloved navigation platform used by over 150 million users a month, brings unparalleled expertise in rapidly scaling consumer-focused transportation technologies.

Bardin is taking on a leadership role at a pivotal moment, with Flytrex recently becoming one of a select few companies in the U.S. to receive Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) approval from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). With this approval, Flytrex can now operate in the 37 largest metro areas in the U.S. – potentially reaching over 100 million people. The BVLOS approval comes on the heels of a partnership with DoorDash and a collaboration with Wing that enables the two companies to share airspace through autonomous flight coordination.

"I believe we're at an extraordinary inflection point in autonomous transportation," said Bardin. "We are finally at the convergence point of technology, regulation, and economics that is making the promise of autonomy a reality. Just as self-driving cars are rapidly scaling on the ground, drone delivery is beginning to scale in the air. The technology has matured, the regulatory framework is in place, and the unit economics are finally starting to make sense. This is especially true for food delivery, where speed is the difference between a hot or cold meal, and the current food delivery cost makes it a luxury product. Flytrex is the leading drone food delivery service and is poised to begin scaling across the major U.S. suburbs.”

Bardin previously served as CEO of Waze from 2009 to 2021, transforming the community-driven navigation app from a startup into a global phenomenon with hundreds of millions of monthly users. Under his leadership, Waze was acquired by Google in 2013. Following the acquisition, Bardin continued to lead Waze as a Google Vice President, maintaining the brand's innovative spirit while leveraging Google's resources to expand its global reach.

In his new role, Bardin will focus on leading Flytrex's transition from an R&D-focused company to a business operations-focused enterprise. The recent BVLOS approval represents a critical turning point that enables aggressive infrastructure rollout and service scaling. Bardin's mandate centers on navigating this pivotal transition as Flytrex evolves from proving its technology to building a sustainable, profitable business that serves millions of customers.

“Drone delivery brings together two of my passions – logistics innovation and creating consumer experiences people love,” continued Bardin. “Working closely with the founders as an advisor for the past 10 months and experiencing the product firsthand reminded me so much of Waze's early days – that same combination of breakthrough technology and a service that genuinely delights customers. That's what convinced me to take on operational duties and help lead this transition from R&D pioneer to scaled operations."

About Flytrex

Flytrex is the leading autonomous drone food delivery service. The company has completed over 200,000 deliveries across the U.S., transforming last-mile logistics for suburban communities with affordable, scalable access to aerial delivery. Flytrex operates in multiple U.S. states and continues to expand its footprint, focusing on enhancing quality of life through innovation in autonomous logistics.

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