TLDR;
- Walmart and Alphabet’s Wing are expanding drone deliveries to over 100 stores in five new cities, building on a successful pilot in Dallas.
- Wing’s lightweight drone model allows it to scale efficiently without significant increases in personnel or cost.
- Walmart views drone delivery as a core part of its strategy to redefine retail and increase customer convenience.
- Experts remain skeptical about profitability, Wing’s careful rollout and city partnerships suggest a promising future.
Walmart is partnering with Alphabet’s drone delivery company Wing to bring ultra-fast, on-demand deliveries to more homes across the United States.
On Thursday, the retail giant announced a major expansion of its drone delivery service, now extending operations to over 100 Walmart stores in five new metro areas including Atlanta, Charlotte, Houston, Orlando, and Tampa. This push significantly broadens their existing footprint in Dallas-Fort Worth, marking a turning point for both companies.
Drone Delivery Moves from Trial to Scale
This marks a strategic shift for Wing, which has evolved from a research project under Alphabet’s moonshot division into a commercial player in the retail logistics sector. Having initially launched a limited pilot with Walmart in 2023, Wing operated in just two Dallas-area stores. That effort scaled over time to include 18 stores, serving around 60,000 homes. Now, with this latest move, Wing’s reach will increase nearly fivefold, indicating a strong vote of confidence from Walmart in the technology’s promise.
Drone delivery is taking off, delivering faster-than-ever service to millions of customers in more cities and states. Discover how we’re making shopping easier, one flight at a time. https://t.co/OqA7o67LNM pic.twitter.com/71CaIkoh3f
— Walmart Inc. (@WalmartInc) June 5, 2025
Wing CEO Adam Woodworth made it clear that the company is now focused on operational scale. The learnings from Dallas played a key role in shaping Wing’s approach. According to Woodworth, their strategy revolves around lightweight, automated drones that minimize costs while maximizing efficiency. By expanding their service footprint without a proportional rise in operational staff, Wing aims to deliver more while keeping expenses in check.
Walmart Bets on Faster, Smarter Retail
For Walmart, this is part of a broader strategy to lead the charge in retail innovation. Greg Cathey, Walmart’s senior vice president of Transformation and Innovation, said the company is “pushing the boundaries of convenience” to create faster and easier shopping experiences. Drone delivery, he added, is central to Walmart’s reimagining of the last-mile delivery process.
Currently, Wing drones can deliver small packages weighing up to five pounds within 30 minutes, with an average time in Dallas around 19 minutes. While only certain products are eligible, top orders include everyday essentials like eggs, milk, and baby wipes, items customers often need quickly and without the hassle of a store trip. In most areas, customers use Wing’s app to place their orders, with free delivery offered to all users, not just Walmart+ subscribers.
Looking Ahead
Despite this momentum, industry analysts remain cautious. Some logistics experts question whether drone delivery can achieve long-term profitability, citing challenges such as regulatory complexities, environmental variables, and the cost of maintaining drone fleets. However, Wing’s low-noise, lightweight drones are designed to avoid some of the issues that have plagued competitors like Amazon, which faced backlash over noise and safety incidents in trial areas.
Wing has also worked closely with city governments to streamline the deployment of drone infrastructure. The Federal Aviation Administration has given Wing the green light for up to 30,000 drone deliveries per day in the Dallas area and up to 10,000 in Charlotte. The company plans to expand within the boundaries of what weather and regulation will allow, prioritizing warm, stable climates for reliable service.
