Walmart and Alphabet-owned drone operator Wing are bringing their delivery service to seven additional U.S. metro areas by 2027, in what is shaping up to be the country's most ambitious commercial drone-delivery rollout.
Seven new metros, 30-minute drops
Wing said in a June 10 announcement that the expansion will reach New Orleans, Philadelphia, Phoenix, San Diego, the San Francisco Bay Area, Salt Lake City, and Memphis. The companies plan to begin operations in each market over the course of 2027, growing Walmart's drone-served footprint to 20 U.S. metros and a planned network of more than 270 stores capable of reaching 40 million Americans.
Wing's small autonomous aircraft can carry lightweight orders at speeds up to 60 mph and lower packages with a tether. Heather Rivera, Wing's chief business officer, said in the post that "drone delivery isn't just a novelty, it's a service many customers count on multiple times per week."
1 million drone deliveries — and counting
Walmart says its drone delivery offering already covers 66 locations across Texas, Georgia, North Carolina and Arkansas. CEO David Guggina told investors last month that the retailer hit its one-millionth drone delivery in Q1, with more than 40% of those deliveries occurring in the latest quarter alone.
The push pits Walmart against Amazon Prime Air's Chicago-suburb expansion and complements Wing's recent FAA approval for after-sunset flights in Texas. Beyond Walmart, Wing has also partnered with Papa John's to fly pizza in North Carolina.
Regulatory groundwork in each city
Before launching each new metro, Wing and Walmart say they will work with municipal leaders and community groups on noise, privacy, and safety questions tied to single-family homes, apartment buildings, and commercial delivery zones. The rollout is timed against Walmart's broader fulfilment strategy of reaching roughly 60% of U.S. households in 30 minutes or less from its existing store network.
Reporting based on coverage from Wing, Walmart, Retail Dive and Supply Chain Dive.