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ZDNET Highlights
- Walmart and Wing begin service in the metro Atlanta area.
- Customers can order items from Walmart and have them delivered via Wing drone.
- The drone can carry up to 5 pounds.
It’s a bird, it’s a plane – in fact, it’s a wing delivery droneAnd it’s picking up last-minute groceries from the nearby Walmart for your neighbor.
Wing, an independent company under Alphabet (Google’s parent company), launched the service in metropolitan Atlanta in early December in partnership with Walmart. The metro Atlanta area is the first US metropolitan area outside the Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas area to get the service, as Wing attempts to lead the ongoing drone delivery service race.
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Amazon, UPS, FedEx, and DoorDash are all exploring drone delivery services, with companies like Wing supplying drones to major retailers like Walmart. Wing offers its Styrofoam and carbon fiber-made drones to participating Walmart Supercenters, and all delivery settings are located in the Wing app.
How does this work?
Wing sets up a group of drones called a “nest” in the back of a Walmart parking lot. Employees pack small cardboard boxes with customer orders, and place the packages in a designated area for the drone to hover over. Then, it releases a tether to retrieve the package from the ground, retracts its tether with the package, and begins its flight to the customer’s home – provided their home is within six miles of the store.
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Once the order is placed within the Wing app, the company’s automated system routes the drone, and the drone should complete the delivery in about 15 minutes. Most of that time is spent fulfilling orders, and the drone spends about five minutes in flight.
Wing’s drones fly beyond visual line of sight, meaning there is no human to steer the drone or chart its path. However, the wing said a certified pilot remains in a control room, overseeing general operations of up to 32 drones at a time, monitoring low airspace traffic and weather in the area.
When the wing drone is close to the ground, it sounds like an irritating wasp nest, but certainly quieter than a lawn mower or leafblower. If I was inside watching TV while a drone was delivering goods to my front yard, there’s a high chance I wouldn’t hear it.
Wing and propeller of a drone.
Jada Jones/ZDNET
Made of foam, plastic and carbon fiber, winged drones can carry a small load up to a maximum of five pounds. If your Walmart order includes rotisserie chicken and a pack of Skittles, you should be all set. If you’re ordering a TV or groceries for a few days, expect to see a delivery driver.
According to Wing, the delivery drones reach a maximum height of 150 feet and a top speed of 65 mph. Greg Cathy, Walmart’s senior vice president of digital fulfillment, told me that these drones are ideal for customers who are pressed for time and have either forgotten an item during a Walmart run or are in urgent need of an item. He cited diapers, wipes, pet items and medications as items frequently delivered by drones.
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“What we see is that consumers love this service. When you need something, you want it right away,” he said. “So, we see customers adopting it, and not only are they adopting it, but they are repeat users.”
Are they safe?
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) awarded Wing a Part 135 Air Carrier Certificate in 2019, which enables the company to operate commercial drones for delivery services. recently FAA proposed rule And the Department of Transportation eases the path to approving certifications, waivers and permits to operate drones beyond visual line of sight, allowing companies like Wing to expand to more cities more quickly.
Companies will still need to apply for a special permit, and operations must be in less densely populated areas. It is important to note that these drones do not operate within the city limits of Atlanta; The nearest participating Walmart Supercenter is located 26 miles from Atlanta’s city center.
Regulation is one of several issues, including privacy concerns and community buy-in, that have slowed progress for retailers over the past few years.
Still, Wing has promised that its drones are safe to operate in approved areas. The drones’ lightweight frame allows them to detach if they collide with an object, and they cease service if weather conditions are too dangerous.
When will it be available in my area?
Considering the distance from Atlanta to participating Walmarts and current regulatory laws, getting your order delivered to your downtown, high-rise apartment via drone is unlikely — at least for now. However, the potential for more efficient delivery may be down to ground delivery drivers, according to Marty Bauer, director of sales and partnerships at Omnisend, an e-commerce specialist.
“Imagine using this (service) when you come back from a store and realize you forgot something, especially if you live far from the store or have limited mobility,” he said. “For drivers, this means less time spent delivering frequent but low-value orders.”
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While apartment complexes in crowded cities may not be the most affordable markets for companies like Wing right now, the low population density and fast-growing metropolitan areas in the South make the suburbs a great place to start. Wing’s next steps include expansion into the Charlotte, Houston, Orlando and Tampa areas, with delivery availability promised in the coming year.
If you’re enjoying your morning coffee on the veranda and hear a sudden, medium-pitched hum that disappears as quickly as it came, look up – it could be your neighbor expecting a wing drone.
