Alphabet-owned Wing and Walmart started drone delivery in Greater Orlando on Tuesday, July 29, opening Wing's first Florida market and slotting the state into the largest drone delivery network in the United States. The pair say more than 50,000 homes, businesses and apartment buildings around two Supercenters can now order thousands of daily essentials by drone and receive them in as little as 30 minutes.
Two Orlando Supercenters Open, Three More Queued
Deliveries are launching from Walmart Supercenter #955 at 1700 S. Orange Blossom Trail in Apopka and Walmart Supercenter #2695 at 1450 Johns Lake Road in Clermont. Wing said additional locations in Ocoee, Clermont and Haines City will come online over the next several weeks. Wing drones in Florida transport up to 2.5 pounds per flight today, with plans to lift that to 5 pounds, and deliver from a cruise altitude of 150 to 200 feet at up to 60 mph.
Orlando Is A Tourism-Driven Bet
Wing's Chief Business Officer Heather Rivera framed the launch around time saved for busy Central Florida families and vacationing tourists, saying "whether it's helping a family grab a quick lunch without loading everyone into the car, or delivering sunscreen to a visitor at their vacation rental, we want drone delivery to be a simple, seamless part of daily routines." Walmart's SVP of eCommerce Fulfillment Transformation Greg Cathey said the deal gives Orlando customers "one of the fastest and most innovative delivery options available."
Fifth Market In Six Months, With 15 More Coming
Florida follows Wing's successful launches in Houston, Atlanta and Dallas-Fort Worth, and the companies said they intend to reach nearly 20 US metros this year, including Los Angeles, San Diego, Miami and Philadelphia. Just eleven days ago the pair added eight new Houston nests, and in June they announced the 100-Supercenter national expansion that underpins the current push. The Orlando launch is also the first Florida win of the summer for Alphabet's aerial businesses after Waymo signaled Tampa as its next Florida market.
Regulatory Tailwind, Renewed Competition
Wing is the only US drone delivery operator with FAA Part 135 air-carrier certification at scale, though rival DoorDash won its own Part 135 last week and Amazon is expanding Prime Air. Wing's tether-drop delivery method reaches ~20 feet above the ground for handoff, letting it serve dense suburban neighborhoods rather than confined pad-based drop zones. Central Florida customers can check eligibility at wing.com/walmart or through the Walmart app.
Reporting based on coverage from Wing's press release, Walmart, DroneXL and Robotics and Automation News.