DroneUp, LLC, a provider of drone technology and services, and Walmart announced Monday the first multi-site commercial drone delivery operations. The three locations, which will be located at Walmart stores in Northwest Arkansas, will operate from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., seven days a week, to deliver items to eligible Walmart customers by air in as little as 30 minutes.
“When we invested in DroneUp earlier this year, we envisioned a drone delivery operation that could be quickly executed and replicated across multiple stores,” said Tom Ward, senior vice president of last mile at Walmart U.S., in a statement. “Opening our first hub within months of our initial concept showcases DroneUp’s ability to safely execute drone delivery operations with speed. We’re already hearing great customer feedback at our first site in Farmington, Arkansas, and look forward to opening additional locations.”
DroneUp’s delivery operation provides Walmart customers a safe, convenient, fast, and sustainable delivery option on thousands of items – even the most fragile – powered by a crew of skilled operators, according to DroneUp. The process involves the following steps:
Verify: Customer enters their address to verify eligibility.
Shop: Customer selects from items for delivery.
Secure: Operators pack the order and secure the box to the drone using a patented delivery release mechanism.
Deliver: The flight engineer manages a controlled and guided delivery, placing the order gently at the customer’s home.
Eligible customers in Farmington, Arkansas can place orders now at droneupdelivery.com. The additional locations at Walmart Neighborhood Market in Rogers, Arkansas and Walmart Supercenter in Bentonville, Arkansas, are planned to open in the coming months.
“Teaming up with Walmart to launch three delivery Hubs marks a significant leap forward in the broader use of UAS to provide last-mile consumer delivery services and supply chain efficiency options,” said Tom Walker, CEO, DroneUp, in a statement. “Walmart and DroneUp provide an unrivaled ability to pick, pack, and deliver via drones directly from the store to consumers offering efficiencies no other retailer can match. We are proud of our team’s ability to deliver the technology helping Walmart launch a new era of commercial drone operations."
Related: Kroger Begins Drone Delivery in Ohio; Drone Delivery Approved in North Carolina.
from Industry Operations https://ift.tt/3cGpH4p
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