Sponsored By

Walmart tests drone grocery delivery in North Carolina

Retailer partners with Flytrex on end-to-end drone delivery pilot

Michael Browne, Executive Editor

September 9, 2020

2 Min Read
Walmart drone delivery.png
Walmart's partnership with Flytrex focuses on delivering select grocery and household essential items from Walmart stores using Flytrex’s automated drones.Walmart

Walmart, the nation’s largest retailer, on Wednesday launched a pilot program to offer grocery delivery by drone from a Fayetteville, N.C., store, its latest salvo in the ongoing battle for share of online grocery and delivery business.

The partnership with end-to-end drone delivery company Flytrex focuses on delivering select grocery and household essential items from Walmart stores using Flytrex’s automated drones.

According to a blog post from Tom Ward, senior vice president, customer product at Walmart, “The drones, which are controlled over the cloud using a smart and easy control dashboard, will help us gain valuable insight into the customer and associate experience, from picking and packing to takeoff and delivery.”

“We know that it will be some time before we see millions of packages delivered via drone,” Ward said. “That still feels like a bit of science fiction, but we’re at a point where we’re learning more and more about the technology that is available and how we can use it to make our customers’ lives easier.” 

The pilot program is the latest high-tech delivery initiative from Walmart, which has tested grocery delivery using Nuro autonomous vehicles in Houston. That pilot used an unmanned Nuro R2 delivery vehicle — which only hauls products and has no onboard driver or passengers — as well as autonomous Toyota Priuses to bring Walmart online grocery orders to customers’ homes. 

Related:Rouses Markets to pilot drone delivery of groceries

Walmart’s drone pilot comes just one week after rival retail giant Amazon was given approval to operate its fleet of Prime Air delivery drones from the Federal Aviation Administration. While Amazon said that the Prime Air fleet isn’t ready to deploy package deliveries at scale, the company is actively flying and testing the technology. 

Even smaller grocery chains are exploring drone delivery. This fall, regional supermarket chain Rouses Markets in Louisiana plans to test drone grocery delivery service with Boston-based Deuce Drone at a store in Mobile, Ala.

“Drone delivery offers the fastest, safest delivery store to door,” said CEO Donny Rouse. “We should be able to get groceries to customers in 30 minutes, or even less. Plus it’s more cost-efficient, meaning we can save customers time and money.”

About the Author

Michael Browne

Executive Editor, Supermarket News

Michael Browne joined Supermarket News in 2018 after serving in managing and executive editor capacities at leading B2B media brands including Convenience Store NewsLicense Global and Travel Agent. He also previously served as content production manager for print and digital in the Business Intelligence division of Informa, parent company of Supermarket News and Nation’s Restaurant News.

As executive editor, Mike oversees the editorial content of supermarketnews.com as well as the monthly print publication. He also directs all content-based brand-related projects including the annual Top 75 Retailers report, Category Guide, Retailer of the Year, research surveys and special reports, as well as podcast and webinar content. Mike has also presented and moderated at industry events.

In addition to the positions mentioned above, Mike has also worked as a writer and/or editor for special projects at American Legal Media (ALM), managing editor for Tobacco International, special projects editor at American Banker • Bond Buyer, and as production editor for Bank Technology News and other related financial magazines and journals published by Faulkner & Gray.

A graduate of Fordham University, Mike is based in New York City, where he was born and raised.

Contact Mike at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter and LinkedIn.

 

Stay up-to-date on the latest food retail news and trends
Subscribe to free eNewsletters from Supermarket News

You May Also Like