Walmart expands drone delivery across 6 states

Walmart is expanding its drone delivery operations to reach as many as 4 million households at 34 locations across six states.

The company announced on Tuesday that it will be able to deliver 1 million packages via drone over the course of the year.

The service will be implemented across Arizona, Arkansas, Texas, Florida, Utah and Virginia and will cost customers $3.99 per delivery order. Each delivery can weigh up to 10 pounds.

Customers will be able to order items for drone deliveries between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. Those deliveries can be completed in as little as 30 minutes, according to the company. 

David Guggina, the company’s senior vice president of innovation and automation, wrote that “while we initially thought customers would use the service for emergency items, we’re finding they use it for its sheer convenience, like a quick fix for a weeknight meal.”

He added that Hamburger Helper was one of the top selling items at a current hub.

The deliveries come as part of a partnership with DroneUp LLC, which Walmart invested in in June. The company began operating drone-delivery services out of Walmart stores in Arkansas in November, according to The Wall Street Journal. 

“DroneUp has been a reliable partner as we’ve tested this solution and their capabilities will enable our business to scale with speed while maintaining a high caliber of safety and quality,” the company added in its Tuesday announcement.

Walmart’s decision to expand its drone-related services comes as other retail giants like Amazon have also looked to drones to improve and modernize their delivery services.