It’s late. You’ve just landed in a new city. You’re hungry, and the fridge in your vacation rental is empty. Every nearby restaurant is closed.
Until recently, the solution was familiar. Open an app. Place an order. Wait while someone drives across town to a restaurant that might still be open. Then wait again for the food to arrive.
Now, the solution may come from above. Not as a futuristic concept, but as a system already in motion. One designed to fix a service that millions rely on every day.
Because relying on last-minute delivery doesn’t mean it works well. The system is broken. And whatever replaces it will not only change how we order food, but how we live.
That question sits at the center of this episode.
STR Global Unlocked Podcast | Episode 14
EPISODE 14 WITH BOBBY HEALY, FOUNDER AND CEO OF MANNA AIR DELIVERY
The sky will soon be filled with drones delivering everything from a single onion for a late-night meal to critical medication in an emergency. This is not a distant vision. It is already happening.
In countries like Ireland, drone delivery has become almost routine. But the shift goes far beyond convenience. This technology responds to a structurally broken system, with effects that extend well past food delivery.
Today’s last-mile model fails from nearly every angle. Consumers pay more. Drivers earn less over time. Restaurants often lose money on each order. Even so, demand keeps growing.
That contradiction is what Bobby Healy set out to challenge. As CEO and founder of Manna Air Delivery Network, his goal is to make suburban delivery fast, affordable, sustainable, and safe.
His background spans video games, airlines, technology, and global transportation. He understands the scale of the challenge and knows that turning Manna into a global operation will not be easy.
Simon Lehmann, CEO of AJL Atelier, sat down with Bobby for a grounded conversation on how autonomous aerial delivery could reshape food logistics, urban infrastructure, and the short-term rental guest experience.
In this conversation, they discussed:
Why regulation-heavy regions such as Europe face a disadvantage, and where a shift in innovation focus could change the outcome.
How drone delivery reshapes unit economics in logistics at scale.
Where payload limits, flight availability, and real-world use cases define what drones can deliver in practice.
Why drone delivery only works when it replaces road delivery rather than supplementing it.
How autonomous delivery connects with hospitality and the short-term rental guest experience.
"Get past the craziness of what we're doing and just trust me because this isn't my first rodeo. This is phenomenally better than roll-based delivery. If anything, I would say roll-based delivery is insane."
Key STR Trends
INDUSTRY CHECK-IN
Maui can’t seem to settle on a clear position when it comes to short-term rentals. The situation reflects a wider pattern playing out across destinations around the world.
In early December, the island passed a law designed to phase out more than 6,000 vacation rentals in an effort to bring down housing prices. Maui is still recovering from the 2023 fires, which destroyed homes and added pressure to an already tight housing market.
Source: Forbes
Many supported the move, arguing that fewer vacation rentals could ease the strain. But only weeks after the bill became law, legislators began exploring exemptions for nearly 75 percent of the rentals originally affected.
The shift has frustrated some and pleased others. And Maui is unlikely to be an outlier. According to a recent Forbes article, this regulatory back-and-forth reflects broader global uncertainty around how governments are approaching short-term rentals.
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WORTH A READ
Want to stay on top of the industry? Each issue brings you key insights, major headlines, and the latest tech shaping travel and short-term rentals.
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The destination has seen a surge in solo travelers, driven by new travel strategies.
Dubai rental prices will fall.
Dubai’s rental market is showing signs of maturity, pointing toward lower prices.
CLOSING THOUGHTS
Drone delivery may look like a novelty at first glance, but behind the concept sits real potential for change. Just because millions rely on delivery services doesn’t mean they work well. In many ways, they are broken, and taking to the skies offers a possible fix.
The upside is clear, from lower costs to safer and more efficient deliveries. At the same time, regulation remains a challenge, even in the air. What’s certain is that the skies are becoming the next frontier for services.
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