Drone delivery company Wing is expanding its partnership with Walmart into seven new metro areas, adding Memphis, New Orleans, Philadelphia, Phoenix, San Diego, the San Francisco Bay Area and Salt Lake City to its growing U.S. network.
The expansion supports a previously announced plan to build a drone delivery network spanning more than 270 Walmart stores and reaching more than 40 million Americans by 2027. With the latest additions, Wing said its service footprint will span nearly 20 U.S. markets.
Wing, which has completed more than 1 million commercial deliveries, currently partners with Walmart in markets including Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston and Atlanta.
“Our work with Walmart has shown that drone delivery isn’t just a novelty, it’s a service many customers count on multiple times per week,” said Heather Rivera, Wing’s chief business officer in a statement.
Wing said its drones can travel up to 60 mph and lower packages by tether to a customer’s yard or driveway, with deliveries arriving in about 30 minutes.
“Customers expect their orders on their terms, delivered with speed and ease,” said Greg Cathey, senior vice president of eCommerce fulfillment transformation at Walmart U.S. in a statement. “Expanding into new markets with Wing allows us to provide an innovative delivery option for customers, utilizing our vast store network to make everyday shopping and fulfilling last-minute needs just a little bit easier.”
Customers in eligible areas will be able to access the service through the Walmart app and website or directly through the Wing app.
Beyond retail, Wing is testing restaurant delivery as it looks to expand use cases for its network. Earlier this year, Papa Johns launched a pilot with Wing in Charlotte, North Carolina, offering drone delivery of its oven-toasted sandwiches through the Wing app. The partnership marked Wing’s first direct collaboration with a national restaurant brand.
