Dive Brief:
- Walmart and Wing are expanding drone delivery to the Denver and Seattle metro areas next year, according to a Monday press release.
- The companies currently provide drone delivery in five U.S. markets and have a dozen additional markets slated for expansion.
- The addition of Denver and Seattle marks the latest development by Walmart and Wing to scale drone delivery coast to coast and to more than 270 Walmart stores in 2027.
Dive Insight:
Walmart and Wing announced at the start of this year plans to scale drone delivery to an additional 150 Walmart locations over the course of this year — an expansion that underscores the potential the retailer sees for aerial delivery of groceries and other goods.
“Expanding drone delivery to Seattle and Denver is about giving more customers a practical option when they need something quickly,” Greg Cathey, senior vice president of eCommerce transformation at Walmart, said in a statement.
Currently, Walmart offers drone delivery services to customers in the metropolitan Houston, Atlanta, Dallas-Fort Worth, Orlando and Charlotte markets, according to the press release. Markets listed as “coming soon” include Los Angeles, San Francisco, Cincinnati, New Orleans, St. Louis and Tampa. Walmart and Wing have yet to confirm when exactly drones will take flight in these “coming soon” regions.
Wing’s drones can cruise at up to 60 mph and carry up to five pounds, per the announcement, including fresh and packaged groceries.
Once drone delivery becomes available, customers can request the service through the Walmart app or website. Shoppers can also place orders through the Wing app, the press release noted.
