Walmart launched pilot programs to use drones to deliver groceries, household essentials and health and wellness products.
On September 22, the company further expanded its experimental drone fleet to deliver at-home COVID-19 test kits. Walmart partnered with DroneUp and Quest Diagnostics to launch trials in North Las Vegas and Cheektowaga, New York.
According to Manufacturing Business Tech Today, to qualify, patients must live in a single-family residence within a one-mile radius of designated Walmart Supercenters. DroneUp’s quadcopters will drop off the kits in the patient’s driveway, front sidewalk or backyard.
After the customer performs the nasal swab, the sample is sent to Quest Diagnostics for testing using a prepaid shipping label. Walmart says customers won’t be charged for delivery or the kit cost.
The drone pilot projects will not only serve the surrounding communities, but provide valuable insight into drone delivery logistics.
Walmart Inc. is an American multinational retail corporation that operates a chain of hypermarkets, discount department stores, and grocery stores, headquartered in Bentonville, Arkansas. The company was founded by Sam Walton in 1962 and incorporated on October 31, 1969.
