Walmart's ultrafast drone delivery takes off in Atlanta
Walmart continues expanding the availability of drone-based delivery that can arrive in as little as five minutes.
The discount giant is building on a longstanding partnership with Wing, an on-demand drone delivery provider powered by Google’s parent company Alphabet, to launch ultra-fast drone delivery from six Walmart Supercenter stores across metro Atlanta.
Walmart products eligible for drone delivery include grocery items, last-minute gifts, household goods and over-the-counter medicine. According to the retailer, its drone deliveries average a five-minute or less flight time.
To receive drone delivery from Walmart, eligible customers can place an order through the Wing app and, at checkout, confirm the precise delivery location on their property. Once loaded onto one of Wing’s automated drones, the order cruises at approximately 60 MPH and about 150 feet off the ground.
Upon arrival, the drone lowers the package to the ground with no assistance needed. Wing operates within FAA guidelines, flying their drones beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) up to a six-mile aircraft range from the store.
Expanding drone delivery access
Walmart initially launched drone-based deliveries from three stores in Northwest Arkansas in late 2021, then expanded a partnership it launched with Wing for drone delivery in the Dallas-Fort Worth market in August 2023.
In June 2024, Walmart began notifying customers in Dallas-Fort Worth of the new capability to place drone delivery orders through in app if they are eligible for the service based on the address associated with their account.
[READ MORE: Walmart integrates drone delivery in app]
In June 2025, Walmart announced plans to bring drone delivery service to Atlanta, Charlotte, Houston, Orlando and Tampa. This would make Walmart the first retailer to scale drone delivery across five states: Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina and Texas. Drone delivery is scheduled to launch at 100 stores by 2026.
And earlier this year, drone provider Zipline launched its first-ever site for its P2 drone model at Walmart stores in Mesquite and Waxahachie, Texas, offering a delivery experience that Walmart says is quieter than the average delivery truck.
Since launching drone delivery in 2021, Walmart says it has completed more than 150,000 deliveries within minutes. While it does not involve drones, Amazon is now piloting delivery in 30 minutes or less in the Seattle and Philadelphia markets via its Amazon Now ultrafast delivery service, which it also offers in India and the United Arab Emirates.
“Atlanta is a powerhouse in aviation, and we’re bringing the same spirit of speed and efficiency to thousands of Walmart customers across the Metro just in time for the busiest season of the year," said Heather Rivera, chief business officer at Wing. "This launch is a critical next step in our significant expansion, turning drone delivery from novelty to norm as residents make drone delivery part of their everyday shopping."
Residents can check their address eligibility and join Wing’s waitlist for future expansion on the Walmart website.
Based in Bentonville, Ark., Walmart operates 10,750 stores and numerous e-commerce websites in 19 countries.
