Walmart is expanding drone delivery to 7 more U.S. cities with Wing

The new cities are Memphis, New Orleans, Philadelphia, Phoenix, San Diego, the San Francisco Bay Area, and Salt Lake City. The expansion builds on service already available in Dallas-Fort Worth, Greater Houston, Metro Atlanta, and markets including Orlando, Tampa, Charlotte, St. Louis, Cincinnati, Los Angeles, and Miami, the companies said.

The partnership has completed more than one million commercial drone deliveries. The companies said their broader goal is to reach more than 40 million Americans through a network of over 270 locations by 2027.

"Our work with Walmart has shown that drone delivery isn't just a novelty, it's a service many customers count on multiple times per week," Heather Rivera, Wing's chief business officer, said in a statement. "We're already working with many communities in the seven new markets, as we accelerate our progress to bring ultra-fast delivery to 40 million residents throughout the U.S."

Greg Cathey, senior vice president of eCommerce fulfillment transformation at Walmart U.S., said in a statement that the expansion would help customers with both routine shopping and last-minute needs.

Capable of reaching cruise speeds of 60 mph, the aircraft hover over a drop zone and use a tether system to set packages down gently in a yard or driveway. Deliveries can be completed in as few as 30 minutes from order placement, the companies said. Wing drones can carry packages weighing up to 5 pounds, according to Yahoo. Non-members pay $20 per delivery, while those enrolled in Walmart+ receive the service at no additional charge.

Ahead of each new market going live, the companies have committed to engaging local officials and residents to introduce the service. When the service launches in a given area, eligible shoppers will be able to place orders either through the Wing app or via Walmart's app and website.