Walmart's New Test: Will Delivery Drones Fly?
Pilot partnership with Flytrex takes to the skies. Looking to the skies for a fast and efficient delivery solution, Walmart this week will begin testing autonomous drone deliveries in Fayetteville, N.C.
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In a technology pilot program that could literally fly, Walmart said it would begin testing autonomous drone delivery of online orders.
The retailer said a test would begin today in Fayetteville, N.C., in partnership with Israel-based company Flytrex. According to a blog post this morning by Tom Ward, Walmart’s SVP of consumer product, the test will help Walmart "gain valuable insight into the customer and associate experience, from picking and packing to takeoff and delivery.”
Industry sources see drones as one potential solution to the high costs of last-mile fulfillment but as with autonomous delivery vehicles, adoption is likely to be gradual. Drones are subject to local and federal restrictions, may encounter limits on deliverable package weights and come with at least some safety concerns. Flytrex has established what it calls the world’s first fully operational drone delivery service in Iceland, and has since tested in North Dakota. Other retailers and delivery service providers, including Amazon, the Chinese e-tailer JD.com, UberEats and Rouses Markets, have also experimented with similar technologies.