Walmart is taking a significant step forward in the tech-driven delivery landscape by rolling out its drone delivery service in Atlanta. This initiative is part of a broader industry movement aimed at enhancing the speed and convenience of getting products into consumers’ hands.

Starting Wednesday, the retail giant launched drone delivery for customers residing in the metropolitan areas of Atlanta, Georgia. This service is set to expand to as many as 100 additional locations in the near future, demonstrating Walmart’s commitment to innovation and customer satisfaction.

Residents in cities like Charlotte, North Carolina, Houston, Texas, as well as Orlando and Tampa in Florida, can look forward to the introduction of drone deliveries soon, Walmart announced.

This strategic expansion follows Amazon’s recent declaration of testing deliveries within 30 minutes and their plan to invest $4 billion to significantly increase their delivery network by the conclusion of 2025, as reported by The Sun.

Walmart CEO Doug McMillon expressed that the company is always keen to observe competitors’ innovations to continuously enhance its own services.

‘We’re seeing the very best competitors and studying what they do. Then take the best of what they do and apply it if you can,’ said McMillon.

The retailer will ship orders through a partnership with Wing, a subsidiary of Google parent company Alphabet.

‘We’re pushing the boundaries of convenience to better serve our customers, making shopping faster and easier than ever before,’ said Greg Cathey, senior vice president of Walmart Transformation and Innovation. 

Walmart became the first to to use drones in five different states on Wednesday

The drones fly at speeds of about 60 miles per hour and carry packages of up to two pounds

‘This expansion of our drone delivery service marks a significant milestone in that journey. 

‘As the first retailer to scale drone delivery, Walmart is once again demonstrating its commitment to leveraging technology to enhance our delivery offerings with a focus on speed.’

The service is already available in Dallas, Texas, and Bentonville, Arkansas.

Walmart drone deliveries can have packages weighing up to two pounds arrive in as little as 30 minutes from the time of ordering.

Fruit, eggs, pet food, and ice cream are the most commonly drone-delivered items, according to Walmart.

The devices travel about 60 miles per hour and, upon reaching their destination, will hover about 450 feet in the air before lowering the order down on a tether.

Walmart claimed that drone delivery will remain a key part of its efforts to redefine retail. 

Walmart and Amazon are joined by Chipotle and DoorDash in using drone technology to deliver to customers.

Amazon has begun testing Amazon Now, a service that promises essentials delivered in less than 30 minutes

But Jeff Bezos-owned Amazon is refocusing efforts on how quickly they can get packages to customers via traditional modes of transport. 

Amazon Now is testing getting deliveries for household essentials and fresh groceries in less than half an hour.

The rollout of the new high-speed system is available in parts of Seattle, Washington, and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Prime members will pay discounted delivery fees starting at $3.99 per order, compared to non-Prime customers’ $13.99.

‘Eligible customers can browse the thousands of items available for delivery in minutes. Customers can track their orders and have the option to tip their drivers,’ Amazon said in a press release.

Back in October, Amazon drones collided with cranes in Arizona, raining fiery debris onto a commercial area.

Amazon latest drone the MK30

A man claimed to be working at the crash site when a loud noise caught his attention, and pieces of the drone began to fall on him and his crew.

‘Several got hit. While we had finally figured out it was a big drone, about three minutes later, another one hit the exact same spot,’ witness Robert Mitchell said.

He further explained that one person was standing six feet away from the landing spot of the wrecked drone.

Mitchell continued: ‘Nothing done incorrectly on our end. But something badly went wrong with the drone’s flight paths.’

Then in November, an Amazon MK30 drone struck an overhead internet cable after completing a delivery in Waco, Texas.