Partnering last year with DroneUp, a company providing drone services nationwide, Walmart has been testing drone delivery with promising results. Initially used for trial deliveries of COVID-19 home testing kits, they're now further investing in DroneUp with the goal of developing a scalable last-mile delivery solution.
In their press release, Walmart CEO and President John Furner said:
In our ongoing effort to get customers the items they want, and fast, we know it will take a well-coordinated network of delivery solutions that span the streets, sidewalks and skies. Some of these solutions are still emerging, but they’re already showing encouraging results.
After safely and successfully completing hundreds of test deliveries from Walmart stores with drones, the retail giant is slowly but surely moving ahead with the new delivery tech. With 4,700 stores stocked with everything consumers could ever need, and a location within 10 miles of 90% of the United States population, Walmart's infrastructure positions them to make drone delivery a reality across the country.
In case you've never heard of DroneUp, they were the first operator to use the FAA 107.39 waiver which allows delivery flights to be conducted over people and moving vehicles. They currently operate an on-demand drone delivery network with a database of more than 10,000 FAA certified pilots at the ready. Already operating commercially throughout the U.S. and as an authorized government drone services provider in 11 states, DroneUp aims to help Walmart grow their drone delivery solutions both safely and with technical expertise.
Can they deliver?
The jury is still out on drones. There are many safety and privacy concerns about these machines flying in our air space. How do you feel about drones? Do think enough testing has been done for companies to start incorporating them into their delivery options? What do you think are the pros and cons of drone technology as it becomes more mainstream? We'd love to know what you think! Email us: inquiries@ripcordbrands.com or give us a call: (303) 536-5505.