Dive Brief:
- Walmart launched drone delivery capabilities from six stores in metro Atlanta last week, expanding its partnership with delivery technology company Wing, according to a Dec. 3 press release.
- Retail goods eligible for drone delivery include groceries, household goods and over-the-counter medicine, per the release.
- “This launch is a critical next step in our significant expansion, turning drone delivery from novelty to norm as residents make drone delivery part of their everyday shopping,” Wing Chief Business Officer Heather Rivera said.
Dive Insight:
Drone delivery has been a yearslong focus for Walmart as it looks to drive faster last-mile capabilities.
Walmart’s metro Atlanta launch is part of its larger drone delivery expansion outlined in June. At the time, the retail giant said it would expand its drone program with Wing over the next year to five new cities, including Atlanta, Houston; Charlotte, North Carolina; and Florida cities Orlando and Tampa.
The new expansion also follows Walmart’s success with drone delivery in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex, according to the press release. In 2024, Walmart announced plans to expand its on-demand drone delivery to 1.8 million more homes in the region of Texas, enabling the retailer to offer the service to up to 75% of the area’s population. Currently, the retail giant delivers thousands of Walmart orders weekly in Dalls-Fort Worth, including eggs, ground beef and avocados, per the press release.
In 2022, Walmart also began partnering with technology company DroneUp for drone deliveries in the Arizona, Florida and Texas.
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