Walmart is extending the reach of its drone delivery initiative to encompass an additional 1.8 million households in Texas.
Through collaborations with drone startups Wing and Zipline, the retail giant has expanded its drone delivery coverage to 75 percent of the population in the Dallas-Fort Worth metro area.
This strategic expansion builds on Walmart’s initial drone delivery program launched in 2021 in Arkansas in partnership with Zipline and DroneUp, subsequently broadening its reach to other states in 2022.
In Texas, customers residing within a 10-mile radius of a participating Walmart can now receive drone-delivered items directly to their homes.
Walmart Marks 20,000 Successful Drone Deliveries Milestone
To date, Walmart has achieved more than 20,000 successful drone deliveries.
Wing has announced plans to initiate deliveries to additional destinations in the Dallas-Fort Worth area in the upcoming months and anticipates the full completion of the expansion in collaboration with Walmart within the current year.
Approximately 75% of the products available in Walmart’s Supercenters conform to the size and weight specifications suitable for drone delivery, ensuring delivery within 30 minutes or less.
The drone deliveries in Texas will be facilitated through collaborations with on-demand drone delivery providers Wing and Zipline.
To ascertain whether your address is eligible for drone deliveries from Walmart, you can verify this information on the Wing and Zipline websites.
Walmart Unveils AI-Powered Search Experience
Walmart has introduced an innovative AI-driven search experience, initially available on iOS and set to roll out on all platforms later this quarter.
This advanced search feature enables customers to search based on specific use cases, enhancing efficiency.
For instance, customers planning a Super Bowl party can search for “football watch party” to find relevant items.
The search algorithm considers factors such as location and search history for more accurate results.
Additionally, Walmart unveiled the InHome Replenishment tool, an AI-powered service that predicts customers’ needs and automatically places orders, expanding on the InHome grocery delivery service launched in 2019.