Why, yes, that is a Walmart package buzzing through the air.
The ubiquitous big-box retailer on Wednesday launched drone delivery service in metro Atlanta. Walmart has partnered with drone provider Wing, owned by Google parent company Alphabet.
The first drone delivery was completed from a Walmart store in Woodstock at an event Wednesday.
“I came here in a full self-driving Tesla to watch a drone autopilot goods away from a Walmart,” Woodstock Mayor Michael Caldwell told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution at the event. “What a time we live in and how exciting to get to do that in Woodstock.”
Starting Wednesday, the drone delivery service will be available from six Walmart Supercenters, all outside the Perimeter — Woodstock, Conyers, Dallas, Hiram, McDonough and Loganville.
But Walmart intends to grow its store count for the service in metro Atlanta through the end of the year and into 2026, said Greg Cathey, senior vice president of digital fulfillment transformation.
“This is an integral part of how customers will get delivery in the future,” Cathey said at the event. “We see this expanding. ... This is a good way to get things to people and with speed and efficiency.”
Customers within eligible areas use the Wing app to get deliveries. Right now, there is no cost to use the service. However, Cathey said Walmart is trying out charging for the delivery in other markets.
The drones are fully electric, and their flight paths are determined by artificial intelligence. They are docked inside a fenced area in the Walmart parking lot, called a nest, where they take off for deliveries.
Credit: Natrice Miller
Credit: Natrice Miller
The drones can fly up to 6 miles one way, cruising at about 60 mph. Deliveries can take 30 minutes or less, according to Wing.
The drones can deliver a package that weighs about 2.3 pounds, such as a household or grocery item. But Walmart wants to increase the weight and range the drones can handle, Cathey said.
The drone flies the item to a drop-off area designated by the customer, such as the front or backyard of a home.
Frequently delivered items include over-the-counter medicine, pet supplies or a “forgotten” item or ingredient, such as baby wipes, Cathey said.
Walmart announced this summer it would expand drone delivery to a total of 100 stores in five cities: Atlanta; Charlotte, North Carolina; Houston; Orlando, Florida; and Tampa, Florida.
Competitor Amazon has also been expanding its drone delivery, called Prime Air, with service coming to areas such as Kansas City, Missouri, according to its website.
Walmart this summer said it has completed more than 150,000 drone deliveries since 2021. The service has been available in parts of Northwest Arkansas and Dallas-Fort Worth.
In Dallas-Fort Worth, some stores complete about 200 to 300 deliveries a day, Wing’s Catherine Lovett told the Woodstock City Council at an August meeting.
“We also see a big number of 55-plus community residents who utilize our service three to four times a week,” said Lovett, who is based in Atlanta and serves as manager of local policy and community affairs. “They don’t like to drive. Driving is stressful.”
Credit: Natrice Miller
Credit: Natrice Miller
Wing says it holds a Part 135 Air Carrier certificate through the Federal Aviation Administration. In 2019, Wing was the first company to get FAA approval to use drones to deliver packages commercially.
In metro Atlanta, it cannot enter certain commercial airspaces, such as around Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, Lovett said.
Other companies have experimented with drone delivery.
Papa John’s tested drone delivery at one Powder Springs location. Chick-fil-A tried it out at a Florida restaurant. UPS has also used drones in select capacities, including to deliver prescription medicines from CVS.
Credit: sour
Credit: sour
About the Author
Keep Reading
The Latest
Featured
