From Pymnts · PYMNTS · · 1m 30s
Drone Delivery Tests What 20 Minutes Is Worth
Retailers test if ultrafast drone delivery can turn small purchases into urgent value.
In brief
Retailers test if ultrafast drone delivery can turn small purchases into urgent value. Lowe’s and Walmart test drone delivery in 20-23 minutes to find what small purchases cost customers to wait for. Originally reported by Pymnts.
Drone Delivery Tests What 20 Minutes Is Worth
Lowe’s tests drone delivery of small home improvement products in as little as 20 minutes in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Walmart Surpasses 1 Million Drone Deliveries
Walmart passed 1 million drone deliveries with 40% occurring in fiscal Q1 2027 and an average delivery time of 23 minutes.
Barclays Estimates Future Delivery Costs
Barclays estimated autonomous food delivery costs could eventually fall to about $1 per order in mature markets.
Urgent Purchases Change Customer Value
A missing drill bit can stop a project, pain relievers are needed for a fever, and a charging cable has higher value at 8 a.m. than later.
Drone Delivery Tests Economic Viability
Drone delivery tests whether retailers can turn the urgency of small purchases into workable last-mile economics.
Walmart’s Usage Shifts Over Time
Walmart’s early drone orders were driven by novelty, but customers later used drones for urgent needs.
DoorDash Orders Take Longer
DoorDash orders between three and five miles take nearly 25% longer than shorter deliveries due to driver matching.
Drone Delivery Could Reduce Costs
Drone delivery may remove orders from traditional delivery networks where driver time makes small purchases expensive.
The headline
Lowe’s and Walmart test drone delivery in 20-23 minutes to find what small purchases cost customers to wait for.
