Walmart to expand drone delivery to five more cities in the US, which makes it possible to get basketballs and yoga clothes literally from the sky.
Thirty-minute-or-less drone delivery is coming to customers near any of 100 Walmart locations in Atlanta, Houston, Charlotte, North Carolina and the Florida cities of Orlando and Tampa by next year, as part of the retailer’s deepening collaboration with drone company Wing.
Wing’s drones can deliver up to six miles from the stores they launch from. Wing confirms the recipient’s precise delivery location – such as a backyard – at checkout, after which the drone will transport the payload from the store to its destination.
The expansion builds upon Walmart’s years-long push to implement drones in its supply chain. The company has made more than 150,000 deliveries with the technology since 2021 and appears bullish on drones’ ability to transport nearby orders quickly, despite regulatory and operational hurdles for widespread adoption.
“As we look ahead, drone delivery will remain a key part of our commitment to redefining retail,” said Greg Cathey, senior vice president of Walmart US Transformation and Innovation, in the retailer’s announcement. “We’re pushing the boundaries of convenience to better serve our customers, making shopping faster and easier than ever before.”
