DRONE DRAIN

Walmart announces policy change and millions of customers are set to benefit – but it will cost you $3.99

WALMART has expanded its drone delivery service to several more stores across four new cities.

In Florida, the amenity is now available for some customers in Tampa and Orlando. Drone delivery service was also expanded to locations in Dallas, Texas, and Phoenix, Arizona.

Walmart has expanded its drone delivery service in four more cities in Florida, Texas and Arizona.Credit: Getty

For $3.99, anyone who lives within one mile of a participating store can have thousands of eligible products delivered to their home in as little as 30 minutes, a Walmart release says.

Customers can check if they're eligible on the website of DroneUp, the Virginia company that Walmart partnered with to create the service.

Drone delivery is available between 8am and 8pm. There's no order limit, but the entire shipment must weigh less than 10 pounds.

"Simply put, if it fits safely it flies," Walmart noted in a press release.

Operators at the store pack the goods up and attach them to the drone.

The devices are managed by a team of DroneUp flight engineers who ensure the devices fly within Federal Aviation Administration standards.

Once the drone arrives at a customer's house, a cable system will gently lower the package into their yard.

Walmart first used the service to deliver Covid-19 test kits to people's homes in 2020, Fox Business reported.

Last year, the company implemented it on a retail basis for the first time at a store in Farmington, Arkansas, Axios reported.

Walmart also plans to also offer the service at locations in Virginia and Utah by the end of the year.

In total, the program will cover 34 stores in 23 different cities.