DroneUp, LLC, a leading global provider of drone technology and services, and Walmart announced the first multi-site commercial drone delivery operations. The three locations, which will be located at Walmart stores in Northwest Arkansas, will operate from 8:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m., seven days per week, to deliver items to eligible Walmart customers by air in as little as 30 minutes.
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“When we invested in DroneUp earlier this year, we envisioned a drone delivery operation that could be quickly executed and replicated across multiple stores,” said Tom Ward, senior vice president of last mile at Walmart U.S. “Opening our first hub within months of our initial concept showcases DroneUp’s ability to safely execute drone delivery operations with speed. We’re already hearing great customer feedback at our first site in Farmington, Arkansas, and look forward to opening additional locations.”
DroneUp’s delivery operation provides Walmart customers a safe, convenient, fast, and sustainable delivery option on thousands of items – even the most fragile – powered by a crew of skilled operators.
Eligible customers in Farmington, AR can begin placing orders today at droneupdelivery.com. The additional locations at marts Neighborhood Market #5837 in Rogers, AR and Walmart Supercenter #100 in Bentonville, AR, are planned to open in the coming months.
“Teaming up with Walmart to launch three delivery Hubs marks a significant leap forward in the broader use of UAS to provide last-mile consumer delivery services and supply chain efficiency options,” said Tom Walker, CEO, DroneUp. “Walmart and DroneUp provide an unrivaled ability to pick, pack, and deliver via drones directly from the store to consumers offering efficiencies no other retailer can match. We are proud of our team’s ability to deliver the technology helping Walmart launch a new era of commercial drone operations.”
Walmart is well-positioned to be the drone delivery leader as it already has significant infrastructure in place to serve the public – more than 4,700 stores stocked with 120,000 of the most purchased items, located within 10 miles of over 90 percent of the U.S. population. Similarly, DroneUp’s airport “Hubs” house convenient on-site operations where FAA certified flight engineers can conduct multiple and simultaneous deliveries.