SALT LAKE CITY, UT - Walmart plans to bring drone delivery service to Salt Lake City, adding the market to a growing network designed to deliver groceries and other items directly to customers' homes in as little as 30 minutes.
According to The Salt Lake Tribune, Walmart and Wing, the drone delivery company owned by Google parent Alphabet, announced Salt Lake City as one of seven new metropolitan areas slated for future expansion. The companies said the service is expected to begin operating by 2027.
Wing's drones can travel up to 60 mph and deliver groceries, medications, electronics, and other eligible products by lowering packages to customers' yards or driveways using a tether system. Deliveries are generally limited to customers located within six to eight miles of a participating store, with packages weighing 2.1 pounds or less.
Salt Lake City joins a list of newly announced markets that includes Memphis, New Orleans, Philadelphia, Phoenix, San Diego, and the San Francisco Bay Area. Walmart and Wing have stated their goal is to expand the service to more than 270 locations by 2027.
The move follows an earlier drone delivery pilot in Utah. Walmart partnered with another provider in 2022 to serve residents in Herriman and Lindon, though that program ended in 2024 after the company determined the model was not scalable.
Industry observers have pointed to evolving Federal Aviation Administration regulations as a potential catalyst for broader drone delivery adoption. Proposed FAA rule changes could make it easier for companies to operate drones beyond an operator's line of sight, enabling longer-distance deliveries.
Once available, customers within the delivery area will be able to place drone delivery orders through Walmart's website and app, as well as through Wing's platform.
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