Walmart looking to test drones for home deliveries

Walmart has applied to the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to test the use of drones for making home deliveries to customers. According to a report published by Reuters yesterday (26 October), the retailer has already run small-scale tests indoor tests, but it now wants to put the equipment through its paces outdoors – delivering packages to its own facilities and customers’ homes.

Walmart has been expanding the US coverage of its grocery pick-up service and one of the aims of its test flights will be to confirm if drones could be used effectively to deliver a package to a pick-up point in the parking lot of a store.

Walmart will also be testing drones for taking stock of trailers and other assets in its warehouse parking lots.

As previously reported by Post&Parcel, both Amazon and Google have conducted their own outdoor drone tests already and the FAA is scheduled to publish rules on the commercial use of drones soon.

The Reuters report quoted Walmart spokesperson Dan Toporek as saying the company would move quickly to deploy drones, if its test are successful and the FAA’s regulations are amenable.

“Drones have a lot of potential to further connect our vast network of stores, distribution centres, fulfilment centres and transportation fleet,” Toporek was quoted as saying. “There is a Walmart within five miles of 70% of the US population, which creates some unique and interesting possibilities for serving customers with drones.”