Walmart to launch drone delivery in Houston
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
Coming soon, to maybe a store near you. Photo: Paul Hennesy/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images
Walmart is launching drone delivery in Houston, the company announced Thursday.
Why it matters: Walmart is betting big on air delivery to speed up online orders for everyday essentials — including bananas, COVID tests and even ice cream.
- Houston will soon get access to one of the fastest delivery options available, with express packages dropped at your door in 30 minutes or less, Walmart says.
Driving the news: Houston joins Atlanta, Charlotte, Orlando and Tampa as Walmart rolls out drone delivery at 100 stores nationwide.
- The expansion makes Walmart the first U.S. retailer to scale drone delivery across five states, per the company's press release.
What they're saying: "As we look ahead, drone delivery will remain a key part of our commitment to redefining retail," Greg Cathey, senior vice president of Walmart U.S. transformation and innovation, said in a news release.
- "We're pushing the boundaries of convenience to better serve our customers, making shopping faster and easier than ever before."
How it works: Shoppers can order groceries, health and wellness products and household essentials.
- Drone flights — operated by partner company Wing — will serve customers within a 6-mile radius under FAA regulations.
- The service will be free when customers order through the Wing app.
- Items weighing up to 2.5 pounds can be delivered, but Wing is working on doubling the payload capacity.
Between the lines: Wing has a designation from the FAA allowing pilots to operate drones outside a human's line-of-sight, which ultimately means they can deliver to a larger radius from a store and use fewer people.
Context: The expansion builds on operations in Dallas-Fort Worth, which is emerging as "the drone delivery capital of America" and where the company said it aimed to expand service to reach up to 75% of residents.
- Walmart previously worked with both Wing and DroneUp in DFW. The DroneUp contract has since ended, with Wing leading this next phase of growth.
What's next: The company is still working to select specific stores in the cities, so local announcements will come in the future.
- Houston customers can sign up to be notified when drone delivery becomes available at wing.com/walmart.
Go deeper: Read about our Dallas colleagues' experience with Walmart drone deliveries.