By Jorge Vazquez
03 Sep 2023, 09:00 AM EDT
Walmart has partnered with Wing, an on-demand drone delivery provider powered by Google parent company Alphabe, to expand drone delivery in the United States.
“Two years ago, we embarked on a journey to make the convenience of drone delivery a reality for our customers. During that time, we have grown to offer it in seven states and 36 stores, completing more than 10,000 safe deliveries,” the retailer quoted in a statement to the media.
Today, Walmart continues with that project and has partnered with Wing, so the service will be offered from two stores in the Dallas metropolitan area in the coming months, allowing it to reach an additional 60,000 homes.
“Working with Wing aligns directly with our passion for finding innovative and eco-friendly last-mile delivery solutions to give customers the items they want, when they want them,” Walmart said. “With drones that can fly beyond line of sight, we can unlock on-demand delivery for customers who live within about a 6-mile range of stores that offer the service.”
The Walmart Supercenter at 8555 Preston Road in Frisco, Texas will be the first to launch, joining the existing network of 11 drone centers already operating in the Dallas area.
In addition, a second nearby Walmart store is scheduled to open before the end of the calendar year.
Once operations begin, consumers will be able to download the Wing app from the App Store or Google Play and enter their address to determine if their home is within the delivery range of Wing drones.
With the app, customers will be able to order items like frozen treats, household necessities, last-minute groceries, breakable items like eggs, medicine, and more.
Wing describes its drones as reliable, fast, and safe. They cruise at 65 mph and use a leash to gently deliver even delicate items (like a carton of eggs) to pinpoint locations outside customers’ homes in urban and suburban settings, with deliveries under 30 minutes.
How do you know if your home is eligible for drone delivery?
· Download the Wing Drone Delivery app from the App Store or Google Play.
· Create an account and enter your address.
· If you see the message “Coming Soon”, it means you are ready to order on day 1. Please check back in the next few weeks once the service launches.
· If the app says you’re not eligible, but you live in the right area, don’t worry, additional neighborhoods will be added soon, check back in a few weeks.
Keep reading:
Walmart expands drone delivery service to 4 million homes in the United States
· Microsoft will now also manufacture delivery drones in the US.
· Asia revolutionizes food delivery with the use of drones