Those earlier trials use drone manufacturers Flytrex, an Israeli firm, and DroneUp, in which Walmart recently invested an undisclosed sum.īy working with Walmart, Zipline will be making its first commercial deliveries directly to consumers' homes.

In the same month, Walmart began using drones to deliver covid-19 at-home testing kits in North Las Vegas, Nev., and Cheektowaga, N.Y. Walmart also said at the time that it was already using the autonomous devices for small 'food pack' deliveries in Grand Forks, N.D. The Bentonville-based retailer announced its plans for a Northwest Arkansas pilot program in September 2020, the same time it started testing drone delivery in Fayetteville, N.C. The Pea Ridge launch and landing structure, which the companies say is the first of its kind, houses several Zipline drones as well as a flight operations crew. Rogers is 8 miles from Pea Ridge, and Bentonville is 9 miles away. The drones' service area encompasses many small towns and unincorporated communities, as well as larger cities. Pea Ridge, in northern Benton County, has a population of 6,559 and about 2,000 households, according to the U.S. 'Zipline's aircraft can help provide immediate access to needed items for both hard-to-reach and at-risk populations, such as rural communities and elderly customers,' said Tom Ward, senior vice president of last-mile delivery for Walmart U.S. Walmart said Zipline drones can serve homes within a 50-mile radius, and can deliver orders of 'select' health and wellness items in as little as 30 minutes. When it reaches the customer's home, it releases the box, with a parachute, to drop into the backyard.Ĭustomers can track the device's status through the Zipline app.

The drone, which looks like a small airplane with red wings, speeds down a runway and takes off for its target destination. An employee loads the drone with a box containing a customer's order. The Pea Ridge drones launch from a platform atop a bright blue, 25-foot tower behind the town's Neighborhood Market. The retailer has been testing drone delivery in other states with different companies, but this is its first collaboration with Zipline. gave a tour and demonstration Thursday of its new drone operations in Pea Ridge.

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