Wing and Walmart to Provide Drone Deliveries Within Six Miles of Dallas
Wing, the aviation subsidiary of Alphabet, has joined forces with Walmart to initiate drone deliveries from the retail chain in the Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) metro area. The commencement of flights is expected to occur “in the coming weeks” from a Walmart Supercenter in Frisco, TX. Additionally, the companies have intentions to extend their operations to a second DFW location by the end of this year. The combined coverage area from both stores is projected to encompass 60,000 households.
The service is available to homes within a radius of about six kilometers from subsidized stores. Residents of these areas can order, for example, fast meals, groceries, essential products and over-the-counter medicines. The drones can fly up to 65 miles per hour, and Wing says you’ll get your stuff in less than 30 minutes. They use a retractable belt to “gently deliver even delicate items” – including challenging items like eggs and frozen treats.
Wing’s drones are largely automated and controlled remotely. “Wing’s technology allows operators to monitor the system remotely, meaning pilots do not need to be in stores or customers’ homes,” the Alphabet company wrote in an announcement blog. “Airplanes practically fly themselves, so each operator is certified to safely monitor multiple drones at the same time.”
Wing has already partnered with Walgreens for drone deliveries in the DFW area. Meanwhile, Walmart said in 2022 that its own DroneUp delivery service had reached about four million households in Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Texas, Utah and Virginia. However, the retailer reportedly laid off 418 DroneUp employees earlier this year.
If you live in the DFW metroplex, you can check your eligibility by installing the Wing Drone Delivery app from the App Store or Google Play. You must create an account and enter your address to see the results. A “coming soon” message means that you will be contacted as soon as deliveries begin. If the app says you’re not eligible, Wing says it will be adding more DFW areas soon.
