A DroneUp employee monitors a Walmart delivery drone during takeoff. (Walmart Inc.)
Drone delivery is no longer a thing of the future. It's happening in Hampton Roads, Virginia, and soon, Walmart stores across the country.
Walmart customers may be among the first in the country to receive drone delivery, courtesy of DroneUpa Virginia Beach company. For $3.99, customers within 0.8 miles of the store can request delivery.
“I tell these guys it's like, 'Man, we just invented the tire,'” said Patrick Sanford, DroneUp team leader at the Hampton Roads store. “We’re going to be the first truck drivers.”
On a chilly day in Virginia Beach, about six DroneUp employees gathered around a tent staging area in the Walmart parking lot for a test flight. The crew included two pilots, a visual observer who follows the drone to its destination, and a few other employees. When a customer orders a delivery, workers receive a notification via an iPhone app. They go to Walmart and select the items – a pack of Oreos or a half-gallon of milk – then package the goods.
Before the flight, a worker inspects the drone, then attaches the package to a winch at the bottom of the craft.
“Once we do that, we send a flight operations signal to our computer system,” said Max Rodriguez, DroneUp hub manager. “This will create a path to this residence, avoiding major schools and medical offices.”
The team then performs a pre-flight safety inspection before takeoff. As a pilot watches from a nearby dual-monitor computer setup, the drone comes to life, soaring up to 266 feet.
There are limits to the service. Currently, drones can only carry items that fit in a box the size of a large takeout container of fried chicken. Drones can carry up to 10 pounds, but for now, flights are limited to 4, Rodriguez said. The drone can only deliver to single-family homes and townhouses, but the team is working on a way to expand it to apartments and condos.
The weather is another limiting factor. The drone won't operate if winds exceed 22 mph, he said. Rain and other forms of precipitation can also cause ground flights, and the drone does not operate at night.
After reaching its operating height, the drone heads to a green field behind the Walmart, where it completes the test flight. The machine descends up to 80 feet and the winch lowers to ground level, where it releases the package before it returns to the drone.
DroneUp operators are making a test delivery near the Virginia Beach Walmart on Lynnhaven Parkway. Drones can deliver to homes and townhouses (not yet apartments) up to 0.8 miles away. pic.twitter.com/KqtgVhYpL6
– Trevor Metcalfe (@TrevorEMetcalfe) March 16, 2023
After delivery, the drone returns to the staging area, where a camera scans a QR code on the ground and initiates the landing.
During the flight, a steady stream of curious Walmart customers in their cars stopped in the staging area, asking DroneUp employees about the service. Public education is a big part of the job, Rodriguez said.
“The kids are excited,” he said, later pointing to a nearby child waving at the drone.
The company advertises that drone delivery takes 30 minutes or less after order submission. Right now, the company averages about 10 deliveries a week, Rodriguez said.
Walmart store manager Cory Friend said in an email that customers and employees are enthusiastic about the service. Currently, the store plays a minimal role in operations. He said Walmart employees “ensure our shelves are stocked and our parking lot serves as a hub for DroneUp operations.”
DroneUp signed an agreement with Walmart in 2021benefiting from the financial and infrastructural support of the world's largest retailer. DroneUp announced a $27.2 million expansion project in August this will create 655 jobs in Virginia Beach and Petersburg.
In 2022, DroneUp conducted more than 6,000 flights at 36 Walmart stores in Arkansas, Virginia, Texas, Florida, Utah, Arizona and North Carolina. About 85% of Walmart's grocery items meet the weight and volume requirements for drone delivery.
A Walmart spokesperson said in an email that the company chose DroneUp for its emphasis on safety and speed.
“With 4,700 stores located within 10 miles of 90% of the U.S. population, Walmart is uniquely positioned to execute drone deliveries at scale,” the spokesperson added.
What are some of Walmart customers' favorite drone delivery purchases? Great Value cookies and ice cream, a 2-pound bag of lemons, rotisserie chicken, Red Bull and Bounty paper napkins, the company said.
Walmart ranks second in the ranking Top 100 largest private carriers in North America.
Customers can learn more about drone delivery and its availability for their address at droneupdelivery.com.
