Walmart’s newest delivery method could be a game changer for thousands of shoppers

Partnering with Wing, Walmart has expanded its service to yet another metro, this time in Georgia.

PUBLISHED 1 HOUR AGO

Representative image of a Wal-Mart greeter (Image source: Getty Images/Photo by J.D. Pooley)

Walmart is expanding its delivery network to the Atlanta metro area in a way that customers can expect groceries to arrive from the sky. The mega retailer has launched its speedy drone delivery across six stores in the metro Atlanta, Georgia, area, according to a news release. In partnership with Wing, a subsidiary of Google's parent company Alphabet, Walmart has made the new delivery system available in the city right in time for the holiday shopping period.

Image showing a Wing drone carrying a Walmart package (Image source: Wing)

According to the press release, the six stores are located in Woodstock, Conyers, Dallas, Hiram, McDonough, and Loganville. To get the deliveries, shoppers will need to download the Wing app after checking their eligibility on wing.com/walmart. Products available for drone delivery include groceries, last-minute gifts, household goods, and over-the-counter medicine, Walmart stated. The retailer advertised the delivery service as a more convenient and faster way to get items to the doorstep.

To use the service, customers first need to check if their address is eligible for drone delivery. Next, they would need to download the Wing mobile app, add the necessary information, choose the items to get, place the order, and confirm the delivery spot. Once the order is confirmed, the Wing drones that can carry up to two pounds will fly at around 60 miles per hour, 150 feet off the ground. Once the drone arrives at the drop-off location, it will lower the package to the ground without any outside assistance. "Wing can turn a 20-minute drive in notorious Atlanta traffic into a five-minute or less average flight time," the press release read. According to Walmart, the most common items delivered by drone are eggs, fruit, pet food, and ice cream.

Representative image of a resident watching a drone delivering a COVID-19 self collection test kit from a Walmart Supercenter (Image source: Getty Images/Photo by Mario Tama)

Walmart first started testing its drone delivery service in 2020, and it rolled out the service the following year in partnership with Wing. The delivery drones first took off in the Dallas-Fort Worth area in Texas, and following their success, the retailer announced in June this year that it would be expanding the service to more metros soon.

“Atlanta is a powerhouse in aviation, and we’re bringing the same spirit of speed and efficiency to thousands of Walmart customers across the Metro just in time for the busiest season of the year,” Heather Rivera, Chief Business Officer at Wing, said in the release. “This launch is a critical next step in our significant expansion, turning drone delivery from novelty to norm as residents make drone delivery part of their everyday shopping," she added.

Representative image of a Walmart delivery van (Image source: Getty Images/Stock photo by JHVEphoto)

Apart from Atlanta, Walmart is set to expand its drive-thru delivery service to Houston, Tampa, Orlando, and Charlotte, across 100 stores by 2026. The retailer is not the only company to leverage the technology for faster deliveries. Apart from Walmart, other retailers like Amazon and food/delivery services like Chipotle, DoorDash, and several other big-name brands have employed drone services for faster deliveries, USA Today reported.

More on Market Realist:

Walmart recalls two popular products — shoppers urged to return ASAP for full refund

FDA calls out Walmart, Target and Kroger for still selling a product recalled in multiple states