Walmart and Wing, the drone delivery company owned by Alphabet, plan to expand their delivery partnership to the Seattle and Denver metropolitan areas in 2027. The expansion will bring the service to nearly 20 major U.S. markets and advance the companies’ goal of offering drone delivery from more than 270 Walmart stores nationwide.
The Seattle expansion highlights the growing role of technology in retail fulfillment and efforts to provide customers with faster, more convenient access to everyday products.
Washington Retail Association President & CEO Jan Himebaugh and John Engber, director of the Retail Industry Coalition of Seattle, attended a drone delivery demonstration on Tuesday, October 6, highlighting local retail industry engagement as the technology moves toward the Seattle market.
The partnership currently serves more than 3 million customers across markets including Dallas-Fort Worth, Atlanta, Houston and Orlando. According to Wing, expanding into Seattle and Denver will introduce the service to different weather conditions, including Pacific Northwest rain and Colorado winters.
Walmart said the partnership is designed to help customers receive everyday necessities quickly by using stores located close to the communities they serve. Greg Cathey, Walmart’s senior vice president of eCommerce Transformation, said the service can bring products to customers’ homes within minutes.
Wing’s drones can travel up to 60 miles per hour and carry packages weighing as much as five pounds. Eligible orders include tens of thousands of Walmart products, such as groceries, electronics and over-the-counter medications.
The expansion comes as retailers increasingly explore drone delivery as an additional fulfillment option. Lowe’s announced a drone delivery pilot with Wing in North Carolina in September, while Amazon has outlined plans to expand its Prime Air network.
For Seattle retailers and consumers, Walmart’s planned expansion signals continued investment in alternative delivery methods. The service’s rollout will provide an opportunity to assess how drone delivery performs in the region’s weather conditions and how customers use the technology to receive purchases.
