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Why You Should Boycott Uber: Investing in Israeli Drone Tech While Facing a $200M Scandal

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Uber is not just moving people anymore. It is moving into war-linked technology. By investing millions into an Israeli drone company while still paying off a $200 million IPO scandal settlement, Uber is showing us where its priorities really lie and why it should be on your boycott list.

🚨 Uber’s Big Drone Investment

In September 2025, Uber announced its first drone investment, putting tens of millions of dollars into Flytrex, an Israeli drone delivery startup. Flytrex already operates in the United States and is one of only four companies approved by the FAA to fly beyond visual line of sight.

Uber wants to integrate these drones into Uber Eats, promising delivery in “minutes” with lower costs and fewer emissions. But behind the marketing lies a troubling reality. This deal deepens Uber’s ties to Israel’s military tech industry.

Flytrex’s founders and leaders have long-standing connections in Israel’s defense and surveillance sectors. Uber is not simply investing in a startup. It is investing in the very infrastructure that sustains occupation and military operations.

⚖️ Scandals Still Haunt Uber

While Uber is spending big on Israeli drones, it is also paying for its past lies. In 2025, Uber agreed to a $200 million settlement over its 2019 IPO after investors accused the company of:

  • Misleading the public about its path to profitability
  • Downplaying serious safety issues including driver assaults and crashes
  • Overlooking regulations in global markets to fuel expansion

The case revealed a pattern. Uber grows at any cost, and accountability only comes after it is caught.

Now the company is using the same “growth at any cost” mentality to push drones into our skies.

✈️ Why Israel?

Here is the irony. Uber does not even operate ride-hailing in Israel anymore. It was banned by courts in 2023 after years of clashes with regulators and taxi unions.

So why is Uber still there? Because Israel’s tech industry, especially drones, surveillance, and military AI, is central to its global ambitions.

Uber is unwilling to offer rides to ordinary people in Israel, but it will happily bankroll military-linked drone companies that boost its bottom line.

🚧 Dangers of Uber’s Drone Plans

  1. Complicity in Occupation Tech
    Investing in Flytrex means investing in Israeli tech with deep ties to military operations. These drones are not neutral tools. They are part of a system built on occupation.
  2. Surveillance and Privacy Risks
    Drone deliveries are marketed as faster and greener, but they also normalize surveillance overhead. Every neighborhood could be mapped, filmed, and tracked.
  3. Job Losses for Workers
    Uber’s drones replace human couriers. At a time when gig workers already face low pay and poor protections, Uber is doubling down on replacing people with machines.
  4. Safety Concerns
    Drones can crash, malfunction, and cause harm. Communities have not agreed to having buzzing machines flying overhead, carrying out corporate experiments.

🛑 Uber Is Not Alone

Uber is part of a broader problem of corporations fueling Israel’s war economy while selling “innovation” to the world. Its ties include:

  • Flytrex in Israel, founded by Yariv Bash who also co-founded SpaceIL
  • Waymo and Google, already tied to Israel through Project Nimbus cloud contracts
  • Amazon, with drone projects and Israeli data infrastructure deals

✅ What You Can Do

  1. Boycott Uber
    Delete Uber and Uber Eats. Use alternatives like Lyft for rides and DoorDash or local services for deliveries.
  2. Download the Boycat App
    Scan products and brands to avoid companies fueling apartheid and genocide. Uber and its affiliates are listed so you know exactly where your money goes.
  3. Protect Your Data
    As companies like Uber move deeper into surveillance tech, keep your information safe. Use BuycatVPN to browse and shop without being tracked.
  4. Spread the Word
    Share this article. Tell friends and family: Uber is not just about rides. It is now tied to Israeli drone technology and should not be normalized.

📚 Sources

  • Calcalist Tech, “Uber invests tens of millions in Israel’s Flytrex drone company,” 18 Sep 2025
  • Times of Israel, “Regev pushes Uber entry into Israel by 2026,” Sep 2025
  • i24 News, “Uber denies launch plans in Israel,” Sep 2025
  • Reuters, “Uber to pay $200 million IPO settlement,” 2025
  • FAA authorizations for drone BVLOS operators
  • UN and Gaza health reports on civilian deaths and famine