Walmart Expands Drone Delivery to Three More States in 2025

Walmart is scaling up its drone delivery operations, announcing plans to extend the service to 100 stores across Atlanta, Charlotte, Houston, Orlando, and Tampa within the next year. This expansion, reported by CNBC, will bring drone deliveries to a total of five states—Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, and Texas—marking a significant step in the retailer’s push to compete with e-commerce giants like Amazon.

Drone Delivery Rollout: New Cities, New Opportunities

The expansion targets major urban hubs, enabling customers within a 6-mile radius of participating stores to receive deliveries via drone. Walmart is partnering with Wing, a drone operator, to execute these deliveries, which promise to arrive in 30 minutes or less.

The Delivery by Drone service will cater to urgent needs, delivering items like eggs, ice cream, pet food, and fresh fruit—products that make up some of the most frequent orders, according to Greg Cathey, senior vice president of Walmart U.S. transformation and innovation. “The number one piece of feedback that we get from our customers are, ‘When are you expanding?’” Cathey said, highlighting the demand driving this rollout.

This move builds on Walmart’s existing operations, which currently include 21 sites in Arkansas and Texas operated by Wing and Zipline. Since starting drone deliveries in 2021, Walmart has completed over 150,000 flights, a milestone that underscores its growing expertise in this space.

Technology and Operations: How It Works

Walmart’s drone delivery system leverages partnerships with established operators like Wing, Zipline, Flytrex, and DroneUp. The drones, capable of carrying lightweight items—over 50% of Walmart’s 15,000 local inventory qualifies for drone delivery—operate within a 6-mile range, covering a significant portion of urban and suburban populations in the Dallas-Fort Worth area and Northwest Arkansas. For context, 6 miles equates to roughly a 10-minute flight for most delivery drones, ensuring rapid service.

Customers can access the service through the Wing app, where deliveries are free, though Walmart is testing a $19.99 fee for non-members of Walmart+, its subscription service, in the Dallas area. This pricing model reflects Walmart’s broader strategy to integrate drone delivery into its existing Express Delivery and InHome services, which already serve customers with same-day and 30-minute doorstep drop-offs.

Industry Trends: Walmart vs. Amazon in Drone Delivery

Walmart’s expansion comes as the drone delivery sector heats up. The retailer’s 150,000 deliveries since 2021 outpace Amazon’s progress, with the e-commerce giant struggling to meet its goal of 500 million annual drone deliveries by 2030 through its Prime Air program. Amazon has faced setbacks, including a temporary suspension of services in College Station, Texas, and Tolleson, Arizona, earlier this year due to technical issues with drone altitude sensors.

Walmart’s approach, by contrast, has been more measured but consistent, starting with tests in Northwest Arkansas and scaling to densely populated regions like Dallas-Fort Worth. Kiernan Shanahan, chief operating officer of Walmart U.S., emphasized the company’s long-term vision:

“We see it as part of a broader ecosystem of things. And who knows what five years, 10 years time will bring as new technologies and capabilities unlock?”

This forward-thinking mindset positions Walmart to potentially dominate the drone delivery space as regulatory frameworks evolve and technology matures.

What’s Next for Drone Delivery?

Walmart’s drone program, while promising, isn’t without challenges. The retailer’s earlier goal to reach 4 million households across six states with DroneUp has not fully materialized, with progress slower than anticipated.

However, the new expansion into three additional states signals a renewed commitment to scaling operations. For drone professionals and enthusiasts, this development highlights the growing role of drones in retail logistics, potentially paving the way for wider adoption across industries.

As Walmart continues to refine its operations, the skies above America’s cities may soon buzz with the hum of delivery drones.

Photos courtesy of Walmart