Wing, Alphabet’s drone delivery service, is rapidly expanding its partnership with Walmart. This growth adds drone delivery to 150 more stores in 2026 and into 2027, building on successes in Dallas-Fort Worth and Atlanta. The expansion will cover over 270 Walmart stores total, serving about 10% of the U.S. population in cities like Los Angeles, St. Louis, Cincinnati, Houston, Orlando, Tampa, Charlotte, and Miami.
Partnership Growth and Customer Demand
The rollout shows strong customer adoption. The top 25% of users order three times a week, with popular items including eggs, fresh tomatoes, ground beef, limes, Lunchables, avocados, and snacks like Takis. Walmart is Wing’s main commercial partner, ahead of others like DoorDash. This builds on June 2025 plans for Houston (launching January 15, 2026), Orlando, Tampa, and Charlotte. New chief business officer Heather Rivera leads scaling through store clustering and operations integration. Wing focuses on high volume for economics, though profitability details remain private.
Drone Technology and Operations
Wing delivers groceries, over-the-counter medicine, hot lattes, and small packages from thousands of Walmart products. Drones feature dual-propulsion: vertical lift motors for takeoff and landing, plus efficient cruise motors. They are quieter than trucks, weather-resistant for windy days and moderate rain, with a 12-mile round-trip range and 65 mph cruise speed. The main model carries about 2.5 pounds, while newer ones handle up to 5 pounds in standard boxes. Operations are highly automated, with remote pilot oversight and nests fitting Walmart parking lots—no extra staff needed. Launches happen in phases, like the six Atlanta stores added last year.