Store-to-Door, On-Demand Delivery to Come

Walgreens has selected drone delivery specialist and former Alphabet, Inc. company Wing for its upcoming metropolitan delivery systems, with a test location set up in the Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas region.

In a parking lot staging area, Walgreens personnel will pack, process, and load packages onto the delivery drones, with Wing’s flight operations overseeing the shipment straight to customers across Frisco and Little Elm. 

Wing’s drone carrier is advertised with an average service of 6-mile flights in 6 minutes carrying small parcels, most suited to small cargo like food, parts, and medication. The Wing drone is equipped with fixed wings as well as 12 vertical rotors to maintain position while loading and unloading goods, as well as a retractable tether to lower its payload while remaining aloft. While loaded, the company states that even beverages can be loaded and flown without spillage. Wing has built-in support for drone traffic and routing, with in-flight tracking for users eagerly waiting for their goods.

Once active, Walgreens will be the first U.S. retailer to offer drone delivery. Primarily suited to large, densely populated metro regions, Wings has partnered with Hillwood to create a separate drone delivery facility in Frisco, Texas. Located within a mixed-use development, the project is part of a wider effort in the area to publicize developments in sustainable transportation and technology. In preparation for further test flights and expanding service, Wing has been working with Hillwood’s AllianceTexas Flight Test Center in Fort Worth, Texas. Rollout to open delivery for all Walgreens customers is expected in the coming months, once delivery demonstrations, community feedback, and procedures are finalized.

FMI: www.wing.com