Drone delivery service started at 2 Walmart locations in Utah

In partnership with DroneUp, Walmart started its drone delivery service for two locations in Utah. The Walmart stores that now offer items to be delivered by drone are located in Lindon (585 N. State St.) and Herriman (5056 W. 13400 South).

Customers who live within one mile of the stores can have goods flown to their houses for a cost of $3.99, and the retailers will deliver the merchandise directly.

Each store has the capability to process up to 120 drone deliveries every single day. The drones are able to transport items weighing up to 10 pounds (5 kilograms).

Customers who make use of the drone delivery service have access to a list of 10,000 goods that they may choose from when placing an order, such as a bag of chips or toothpaste.

According to Walmart, the things that are flown the most frequently include cookies and cream ice cream, a 2-pound container of lemons, rotisserie chicken, Red Bull, and paper towels.

Part 107 certified pilots operate the drone delivery service

The Walmart drone delivery service is operated by pilots who have undergone training and been Part 107 certified by the Federal Aviation Administration. These drone pilots take off from hubs that are located in parking lots that Walmart owns and controls.

“From the time the customer orders the product on the website to the delivery to their house is 30 minutes. So it's a very fast and efficient way of getting the product,” Anthony Vittone, DroneUp chief operating officer, according to Axios.

According to Camille Dunn, director of corporate communications at Walmart, the drone delivery service provides an alternative for people who have a lot on their plate, such as when they urgently need an ingredient for a dish or a thermometer for a sick child.

Items can't be sent to apartments right now, but Vittone said that they are working on a way to fix this.

According to Vittone, DroneUp is exploring the possibility of extending its delivery services to other regions of the state. Before establishing up a drone delivery option, he mentioned that factors such as a location's airspace, weather, and terrain are taken into consideration.

At this time, Walmart is offering drone delivery services in seven different states.

You may check your eligibility for deliveries and place orders by going to droneupdelivery.com.

Btw – not everybody is satisfied with Walmart's drone delivery service. Residents in Glendale, told the retailer to stop with their loud delivery drones and to “do it somewhere else.“

It will be interesting to see how Walmart and DroneUp fare in Utah.

Photos courtesy of Walmart.