Innovation continues in the world of supermarket technology, what used to be a funny joke may now slowly become the reality for many. Drone delivery is coming and will be brought to you by none other than Walmart.
The supermarket giant is always looking for new ways to innovate and bring their shopper a better customer experience, and with the rise of online shopping it is no surprise that delivery efficiency is high in their list of tasks to improve. For now, the percentage of sales made online versus the amount of people that visit the stores is low, but maybe this method of delivery will entice some to change their habits.
The new drone delivery service has been developed in partnership with Wing, a company subsidiary of Alphabet Inc (owner of Google and considered one of the big five in technology) specializing in this type of drone delivery service.
For now, the drone delivery service is available in Texas where it hopes to streamline and make more efficient their home delivery service. The new service had to pass local regulations and was approved by the North Richland Hills townhall in February. This is a pilot program that has both companies hopeful for its success. Given the size of the state, any method that helps to increase efficiency will greatly benefit Walmart’s bottom line and help customers who may be in more remote locations get their necessities without leaving their home.
Drone delivery service locations in Texas
As of today the service is only available in a smaller area, but the hope for the future is that the service will improve enough to include more isolated areas. The new drone delivery system promises to have the package at your door within 10 to 30 minutes of placing your order in one of the two locations it is available at.
The two stores that have implemented the pilot program are:
- Walmart SuperCenter located in 9101 North Tarrant Parkway – available since the 22 of April.
- Walmart SuperCenter located in 6401 NE Loop 820 – available since the 29 of April.
Weight is one of the limitations this new program has come up against. Commercial drones cannot carry too much weight, and this new drone delivery program is no exception. 2.3 pounds will be the maximum limit for now, but as representatives of the company explain, the goal is not for customers to do a full shop and get it delivered by drone, the goal is to provide a complementary service to the in store experience and regular delivery, by bringing customers an ingredient they may have forgotten, some over the counter medication if they are too sick to go out or even some last minute cold drinks for an evening at home.
The service is also not available 24/7, it has smaller hours of operations, with the first drones going out at 10 am and the las ones being dispatched at 6 pm at the latest. This will help control the flow of deliveries while the program begins its implementation and works out all the kinks.
As of today, the service will be able to be used by residents located in a 4-mile radius of one of the two stores the program has been implemented in, but the location will be independent from township lines, as was explained by several North Richland Hills city employees. As the program expands, gaps between stores will be covered and more remote locations will be serviced, but for now, strict restrictions apply.
If you wish to know whether or not your address is included in the program, you may visit the Wing website and there you will find a complete list of instructions and locations to make the best use of the service.
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