Highlights
- Walmart has partnered with drone manufacturer Zipline for delivery services in Pea Ridge, Arkansas.
- Zipline delivered healthcare supplies, including blood and Covid-19 vaccines, in Ghana, Rwanda, and North Carolina in the past.
- Walmart Inc. (NYSE: WMT) stock was down 0.27% to US$141.56 at 12:06 pm ET.
Drone manufacturer Zipline and retailer Walmart Inc have launched their first commercial drone delivery service in Arkansas on Thursday. The delivery will be for over-the-counter medicines, hygiene products, etc.
Initially, the service will be provided within a 50-mile radius of Pea Ridge, Arkansas. Walmart, one of the world’s largest retailers, had first tried drone delivery service in 2015.
Zipline has rich experience in drone delivery services. It delivered healthcare supplies, such as blood and COVID-19 vaccines, in Ghana, Rwanda, and North Carolina. Its drone delivery services were of enormous help during the pandemic.
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Walmart plans to use Zipline’s drone delivery service to expand its reach to new locations. The rural areas are to benefit most from the drone services of the two companies. Zipline’s drones do not require a landing area. Instead, it will use a parachute to deliver the orders.
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Source - pixabay
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How you can use Zipline’s drone delivery service
Presently, the service is available only for the residents of Pea Ridge, Arkansas. People can order its services through the Zipline app. The company plans to start deliveries for a select group before expanding the service to more customers. This delivery system hasn’t worked much in the past, but this time, with FAA approval, Walmart and Zipline stand to gain.
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Walmart Inc. (NYSE: WMT) stock was trading at US$141.56, down 0.27%, at 12:06 pm ET.
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Bottomline
The drone delivery services are expected to boom as the government eases restrictions on such activities. These services are expected to make the supply chain a lot quicker, besides providing emergency medical supplies in remote locations.