Purpose – This paper aims to explore the types of perceived risks involved with using drone food delivery services. Furthermore, this study investigates the relationship between perceived risk and image of drone food delivery services. Lastly, this study examines the effect of image of drone food delivery services on desire, intentions to use and willingness to pay more.

Design/methodology/approach – This study collected data from 331 respondents in Korea. Before the start of the survey, the respondents were given a video, which made it easier for them to understand drone food delivery services.

Findings – The three types of perceived risks (i.e. time risk, performance risk and psychological risk) have a negative influence on image of drone food delivery services and, thus, aids in increasing desire, intentions to use and willingness to pay more.

Originality/value – The concept of perceived risk was applied to the context of drone food delivery services in this study in combination with other understudied concepts, image, desire, intentions to use and willingness to pay more. This study is one of the first studies that applied those significant concepts to the context of drone food delivery services, even though there are a large number of papers in the technology field. Thus, the findings of this study will be important to foodservice companies when building successful drone food delivery services.