BENTONVILLE, Ark.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Santa’s sleigh may not be the only thing seen flying in the skies of Florida. Walmart’s drone delivery service is now available for select customers in the Tampa and Orlando areas. The new delivery option will be fulfilled from 7 stores, making it easier than ever for customers to grab those last-minute gifts. No assistance from Rudolph needed.
This marks the first time customers in Florida can take advantage of Walmart’s drone delivery, following the retailer’s earlier announcement of plans to expand its DroneUp network to reach four million additional households across 6 states, including Florida. From last minute meal solutions to a package of Christmas cookies, Walmart has successfully executed thousands of same-day drone deliveries to date.
“Drone delivery makes it possible for our customers to shop those last-minute or forgotten items with ease, in a package that’s frankly really cool. Being on the forefront of that innovation at Walmart is something we’re proud of,” said Vik Gopalakrishnan, vice president, innovation & automation, Walmart U.S. “It may seem like a futuristic option, but it’s giving our customers what they’ve always wanted, and that’s time back to focus on what is most important to them.”
Here's how it works:
Customers living within a mile of a participating store can place orders through www.droneupdelivery.com between the hours of 8:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m. local time. Drones can deliver more than 10,000 eligible Walmart items up to ten pounds, including fragile items like eggs, in as little as 30 minutes. There are no order minimums and the delivery fee is just $3.99. With use of promo code FreeDeliveryFL, customers using drone delivery for the first time will have the delivery fee waived. Once the items are packaged and loaded into the drone, the order is then delivered using a cable that gently lowers the package into the customer’s yard.
Drone delivery is now offered from these stores in Florida:
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Walmart Supercenter #2695
1450 Johns Lake Rd, Clermont, FL 34711 -
Walmart Supercenter #5299
550 Us Highway 27, Clermont, FL 34714 -
Walmart Supercenter #994
8745 State Road 54, New Port Richey, FL 34655 -
Walmart Supercenter #941
2140 Bloomingdale Avenue, Valrico, FL 33596 -
Walmart Supercenter #3347
7450 Cypress Gardens Blvd, Winter Haven, FL 33884 -
Walmart Supercenter #2740
19910 Bruce B Downs Blvd, Tampa, FL 33647 -
Walmart Supercenter #3463
1208 E Brandon Blvd, Brandon, FL 33511
In partnership with DroneUp, Walmart will offer drone delivery in five other states in addition to Florida by the end of the year, including: Arkansas, Arizona, Texas, Utah and Virginia. In total, there will be 34 stores making drone delivery available in 23 cities nationwide by year end.
“Our mission is to set the gold standard for drone delivery and by partnering with Walmart, bring the incredible benefits that drones offer to local communities, organizations, and businesses,” said Tom Walker, CEO of DroneUp. “Our approach is unique; we practice safety above all else and incorporate state-of-the-art technology. Our strong relationship with the FAA has also been critical to our success as we build an infrastructure that supports growth and great career programs for operators now and in the future.”
DroneUp deliveries are powered by a team of certified pilots operating within FAA guidelines to safely manage flight operations. Deliveries will be made to the safest location of the customer’s home, such as in the front or backyard or driveway. Customers can check if drone delivery is available to their homes by visiting www.droneupdelivery.com.
About Walmart
Walmart Inc. (NYSE: WMT) helps people around the world save money and live better - anytime and anywhere - in retail stores, online, and through their mobile devices. Each week, approximately 230 million customers and members visit more than 10,500 stores and numerous eCommerce websites under 46 banners in 24 countries. With fiscal year 2022 revenue of $573 billion, Walmart employs approximately 2.3 million associates worldwide. Walmart continues to be a leader in sustainability, corporate philanthropy and employment opportunity. Additional information about Walmart can be found by visiting corporate.walmart.com, on Facebook at facebook.com/walmart and on Twitter at twitter.com/walmart and on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/company/walmart.
About Walmart in Florida
Walmart Inc. (NYSE: WMT) helps people around the world save money and live better – anytime and anywhere – in retail stores, online and through their mobile devices. In Florida, we serve customers at 387 retail units and online through Walmart Online Grocery, Walmart.com and our family of brands. We are proud to employ 117,206 associates in Florida. Walmart supports local businesses, spending $8.9 billion with Florida suppliers in FYE22 and supporting 90,434 Florida supplier jobs. Walmart continues to be a leader in sustainability, corporate philanthropy and employment opportunity. In FYE22, Walmart and the Walmart Foundation contributed more than $131.1 million in cash and in-kind donations to local nonprofits in Florida. Learn more at http://corporate.walmart.com, on Facebook at http://facebook.com/walmart and on Twitter at http://twitter.com/walmart.
About DroneUp
DroneUp is an American technology company that combines airspace solutions, software applications, analytics platforms, and a trusted team of industry leaders to help companies operate at scale with drone innovation.
In 2021, DroneUp received a significant investment from the #1 retailer in the world, Walmart, Inc. DroneUp was founded in 2016 and is headquartered in Virginia Beach, Virginia.
For more information: https://www.droneup.com.
