BENTONVILLE, AR - Back in November, Walmart announced an innovative partnership set to elevate its delivery operations through the use of DroneUp’s technology, allowing the retailer to deliver groceries via air. Following the success of its first multi-site commercial drone delivery operations, the grocer has announced plans to bring drone delivery to a total of 4 million households in the United States.
"After completing hundreds of deliveries within a matter of months across our existing DroneUp hubs, we’ve seen firsthand how drones can offer customers a practical solution for getting certain items, fast,” said David Guggina, Senior Vice President of Innovation and Automation, Walmart U.S., in a company blog post. “More importantly, we’ve seen a positive response from our customers that have used the service. In fact, while we initially thought customers would use the service for emergency items, we’re finding they use it for its sheer convenience, like a quick fix for a weeknight meal.”
With the expansion of its partnership, the retailer will be building out its DroneUp delivery network to 34 locations by the end of the year. According to a release, the company has the potential to reach 4 million U.S. households across six markets—Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Texas, Utah, and Virginia—allowing Walmart to deliver over 1 million packages a year via drones.
Participating locations will house a DroneUp delivery hub inclusive of a team of certified pilots, operating within FAA guidelines, that safely manage flight operations for deliveries, the post explained. Once a customer places an order, the item is fulfilled from the store, packaged, loaded into the drone, and delivered right to their yard using a cable that gently lowers the package.
“The customer has always been at the center of our focus at Walmart, and we look for partners that are as laser-focused on customer experience as we are,” Guggina added. “DroneUp has been a reliable partner as we’ve tested this solution and their capabilities will enable our business to scale with speed while maintaining a high caliber of safety and quality.”
To read more about the expansion of this tech-forward partnership, click here.
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