Residents of North Richland Hills can soon expect the buzz of drones in their skies as a new delivery service takes flight. Walmart, in collaboration with Wing, will be launching drone delivery operations at two of its supercenters in the area.
The service is set to kick off as early as next week at the Walmart Supercenter located at 9101 North Tarrant Parkway, followed by the Walmart Supercenter at 6401 NE Loop 820 the week after. Operating hours will be from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily.
Residents within a 4-mile radius of either store, including those in neighboring cities, will have access to this new delivery option.
To ensure smooth operations, Walmart and Wing will conduct validation flights this Thursday and Friday. Flights will depart from the Walmart Supercenter on North Tarrant Parkway and head to Tommy & Sue Brown Park on Thursday and JB Sandlin Park on Friday, between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., weather permitting.
Wing, operating under FAA approval in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex since 2021, has a track record of over 350,000 commercial deliveries across North America, Europe, and Australia since 2012.
The North Richland Hills City Council approved a one-year pilot program earlier this year, focusing on landing pad and surface operations, while FAA regulations oversee airspace operations once the drone is airborne.
Wing's drones, measuring 4.3 ft. long with a wingspan of 4.9 ft. and weighing 11.4 lbs. without a package, can travel up to 65 mph and carry payloads of up to 2.3 lbs. They're designed for various items, from over-the-counter meds to last-minute cooking ingredients or movie-night snacks.
Safety and privacy are paramount for Wing, with drones equipped with low-resolution, black-and-white camera sensors solely for terrain confirmation and navigation, ensuring they don't capture photos or videos during deliveries.
