Walmart, Wing, and Drone Drops

What Walmart and Wing Signal About the Future of Autonomous Delivery

Walmart just announced that it’s expanding its partnership with Wing Alphabet’s drone delivery company. With the promise of 30-minute deliveries, this move is being touted as a major step forward in making drone delivery a routine part of life in the U.S. According to Wing, this is the world’s largest delivery drone expansion ever[1].

“…this is the world’s largest delivery drone expansion ever.”

Wing specializes in rapid, on-demand aerial delivery of goods. Wing has become a key partner in Walmart’s efforts to expand drone delivery services across the United States. The partnership, which began with pilot programs in Dallas-Fort Worth in 2023, has already resulted in more than 150,000 successful deliveries, with many orders fulfilled in under 19 minutes[2].

In 2025, Walmart and Wing announced a major expansion, bringing drone delivery to 100 additional Walmart stores in five major U.S. cities: Atlanta, Charlotte, Houston, Orlando, and Tampa[3]. This expansion will make drone delivery available to millions of households, establishing the largest drone delivery network in the country. Wing’s drones can deliver thousands of items—including groceries, household essentials, and urgent-care products—within a six-mile radius of participating stores, typically in 30 minutes or less.

The service is designed for convenience, allowing customers to confirm precise delivery locations (such as your driveway) during checkout. Deliveries are made by drones that cruise at speeds up to 65 mph and lower packages gently to the ground.

”Deliveries are made by drones that cruise at speeds up to 65mph…”

If that seems a little more complicated than zipping your DJI Mavic Mini around your neighbourhood, it is. Wing operates as a licensed carrier under Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regulations, effectively functioning as a miniature airline with all associated safety and operational requirements[4].

The regulatory environment is evolving. Matthias Winkenbach who directs research at the MIT Center for Transportation & Logistics was quoted in Wired Magazine as saying this presents a significant obstacle to making this a profitable business model[5]. Given the range and pace of drone adoption regulators could quite busy for the foreseeable future.

Drones are a familiar foe for Homeowners Associations (HOAs) already thanks to hobbyists. Many have sought to restrict drone use within their communities citing concerns about privacy, safety, noise, and nuisance. Some HOAs have implemented outright bans, prohibiting any member, resident, guest, or invitee from operating drones in the community or entering the airspace above HOA property, with limited exceptions such as for real estate photography with prior approval and documentation.

As the tech continues to improve and get adopted by different industries regulation will be one of the most important factors in the long term viability of drones.