Walmart expands drone delivery and warehouse automation

Walmart is advancing its logistics technology through both warehouse automation and expanded drone delivery services. In its distribution centers, the company is investing billions to transition from manual labor to automated systems. Despite challenges such as equipment breakdowns and difficulties handling various product sizes, Walmart is deploying small robots with motion sensors across more than a dozen warehouses to assist with sorting and transport.

Simultaneously, Walmart is expanding its aerial delivery partnership with Wing, an Alphabet subsidiary. The service, which is already active in markets like Atlanta and Dallas, is scheduled to expand to the Seattle and Denver metropolitan areas by 2027. The Wing drones can travel at speeds up to 60 mph and carry payloads of up to 5 pounds, targeting lightweight items such as groceries, electronics, and over-the-counter medications.

This expansion aims to grow Walmart’s potential drone-delivery customer base from 3 million to over 40 million nationwide. The move places Walmart in direct competition with Amazon, which is also scaling its Prime Air drone services across several U.S. states.