Delivery drone company Wing and retail giant Walmart have launched a drone delivery service in Greater Orlando, marking Wing’s first operations in Florida and extending the companies’ growing US drone delivery network.
The service enables customers to order thousands of everyday items from participating Walmart stores, including groceries, household products, electronics, school supplies and health essentials, with deliveries arriving in as little as 30 minutes.
Initially, the service is available from two Walmart Supercenters in Apopka and Clermont, covering more than 50,000 homes, businesses and apartment buildings. The companies plan to expand the service over the coming weeks to additional stores in Ocoee, Clermont and Haines City.
Heather Rivera, chief business officer at Wing, said: “We measure success in minutes saved and life made a little easier in Central Florida.
“Whether it’s helping a family grab a quick lunch without loading everyone into the car, or delivering sunscreen to a visitor at their vacation rental, we want drone delivery to be a simple, seamless part of daily routines.”
Wing said the Greater Orlando launch reflects growing demand for faster local delivery while also introducing the technology to one of the world’s busiest tourist destinations.
According to the company, residents often face lengthy journeys for routine shopping, while visitors can use the service to order forgotten holiday essentials without leaving their accommodation.
Greg Cathey, senior vice president of eCommerce Fulfillment Transformation at Walmart, said: “At Walmart, we’re always looking for new ways to give customers more choice and flexibility.
“Working with Wing allows us to bring Orlando customers a wide assortment of everyday items through one of the fastest and most innovative delivery options available.”
The Florida launch follows previous expansions in Houston, Atlanta and Dallas-Fort Worth. Wing and Walmart said they plan to extend drone delivery to nearly 20 metropolitan areas across the United States, including Los Angeles, San Diego, Miami and Philadelphia.
Wing’s drones operate at altitudes of between 150 and 200 feet and speeds of up to 60 mph. After arriving at the delivery address, the aircraft lowers a package to the ground using a tether from a height of around 20 feet.
Customers within the delivery area can place eligible orders through the Walmart app, Walmart.com or the Wing app. The drones currently transport packages weighing up to 2.5 pounds, with plans to increase the payload capacity to 5 pounds in the future.
