An elevated delivery platform having a delivery surface that can be placed at a location off the ground to better facilitate delivery of parcels by unmanned aerial vehicles, such as delivery drones, is provided. By placing the elevated delivery platform in an area above the ground, such as atop a home or a pole, a drone is more capable of making deliveries because it avoids obstacles nearer to the ground that typically make drone delivery challenging. The elevated delivery platform raises and lowers parcels to a position where they can easily be retrieved. Some systems also provide a deployable cover to protect parcels from adverse weather conditions while awaiting pickup or following delivery. The elevated delivery platform can be used as part of a drone delivery system that can also include a containment unit, a computer application, or any combination of these aspects.