After months of dry runs and research, drone deliveries have officially started making their deliveries and to everyone’s delight, they are free of charge according to a Dallas Morning News article from April 7. They say,
“Walgreens and Wing, a drone delivery company owned by Google’s parent company, Alphabet, started making deliveries in Frisco and Little Elm this week.
There’s no charge for delivery, and all items are priced the same as in the store. Customers have to go to wing.com/dfw to find out whether their neighborhood is eligible for the Wing and Walgreens service. To get a drone delivery, they need to sign up and order from that site or the Wing app.
The Walgreens at 2774 Eldorado Parkway in Little Elm has a drone “nest” in its parking lot. A second drone nest is at Frisco Station.”
While not all are flawless in the drone delivery system, Spokesperson Jacob Demitt assured that drones will not proceed with their deliveries if the conditions are risky according to a FOX 4 News article from April 7 which reports,
“The drones are able to fly in light rains, light snow, and strong winds. But there is a limit,” he said.
If the weather gets bad, pilots who work remotely stop deliveries.
“Right now, our focus is on bringing this technology to major markets,” Demmitt said.
He said drones are believed to be able to provide delivery for less money than traditional methods.
“If you think of someone driving a car or truck, one person driving a sandwich is a pretty expensive endeavor,” Demmitt said. “Whereas with one of our drones, which weighs 10 pounds, one pilot can receive multiple aircraft simultaneously.”
Drone deliveries can be accessed through the Wing app. Additionally, it is required that drop-off zones are free of trees and other obstacles that may hinder landing spots.