Drone delivery may become more common
Thanks to new tech, even Popsicles arrive before melting
Drone deliveries might sound like the high-flying hype of big tech from years past. After all, it’s been more than a decade since former Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos famously overpromised and underdelivered a flock of high-speed delivery drones dropping off Prime purchases in a Jetsons-like whir of efficiency.
According to three of the largest drone delivery companies in the U.S., DroneUp, Zipline, and Wing, it’s not a matter of if, but when, drone deliveries reach skies near you. Tens of thousands of people around the country already get everything from lunchtime goodies and quick replacement light bulbs to vaccines and prescriptions via drone. And recent Federal Aviation Administration clearances are already propelling the industry forward.
“Right now, today, we reach about 4 million people in seven states in America,” DroneUp CEO Tom Walker told me when I moderated a SXSW panel discussion last month. “That’s about to go up dramatically.”
Cyndi Sanders is one of the people already using drone delivery. The Rogers, Arkansas, mom of two says DroneUp has made more than 100 deliveries to her doorstep since it started at her local Walmart in November 2022.
“It’s so convenient,’’ she said. “We’ve ordered everything, including Popsicles, and they’re still frozen when they get here. It’s an amazing service. They’ve saved the day on dinners, and it’s just a great way to get what we need in a really cool way.’’
She believes that such a service will only grow. “I think the future is in the skies,’’ she said. “I really do.”
Sarah Claytor, 42, of Pea Ridge, Arkansas,