Drones could start delivering Walmart orders to Union Township residents as soon as January.
A representative for the company Wing Aviation presented its plan to deliver groceries and other household items from the retailer to an audience of township trustees Tuesday night.
“Taco Tuesday, I would say, is the perfect example. If you're in charge of making the guacamole and you might need a couple extra avocados or a side of sour cream, those one-off items [are] what our drone is used for,” said Permitting Manager Zenobia Haynes. “Because who feels like getting in their car to get small items?”
The presentation, included on Wing’s website as a company strategy, highlighted supposed benefits of drone delivery such as diverting traffic and cutting down on emissions.
Haynes said Wing’s drones, which are made of material similar to styrofoam, can make a fully autonomous flight at 55 miles per hour to any single family residence within six miles of the township’s Walmart on Eastgate Square Drive. Once one arrives, Haynes said the drone would then stay in flight while lowering the package — which can only weigh up to 2.5 pounds — in a process that takes less than a minute.
Haynes added the drones might be grounded in snow, but they can still fly under rainy conditions. And the service would be free for Walmart Plus members.
“We always say, ‘You do not have to tip the drone,’” Haynes said. “Just a little bit of extra money in your pocket.”
Trustee Michael Logue was optimistic about the idea.
“That highlights the service that can bring to people that are homebound,” Logue said. “This brings them a sense of not having to rely on somebody else when it comes to that. A sense of independence.”
But other trustees appeared skeptical.
“There’s been — out on the internet — some really funny videos about the Amazon packages getting dropped into a swimming pool. I think that's great if you're in the pool and you're delivering [a] 12-pack of beer. But aside from that, have those problems been resolved?” Trustee John Becker asked.
Haynes said she’s aware of those incidents but there have been no cases of Wing drones delivering to the wrong location.
Another trustee, Joe Dills, said he understands the benefits of quick delivery. But:
“I'm thinking to myself, ‘Do I want drones flying over my house?’” Dills said. “I understand that this is where we're going with technology. So I like it. It's cool. But at the same time, I'm like, ‘Will I want 100 drones flying over Union Township at one time?’ Probably not.”
The company is still seeking permitting approval from the township to build its “nest” near the Walmart.
But Dills acknowledged there isn’t much room to regulate Wing’s effort in the township: Administrator Cory Wright said it would be an approved use under the zoning code.
Dills asked Haynes to make sure residents have a person to reach out to with complaints about privacy and noise.
Haynes said the drones are equipped with cameras to assist with navigation, but there is no live feed. And though a drone’s noise increases from 43 to nearly 63 decibels when conducting delivery, she said that’s still quieter than an idling truck.
Wing is owned by Google’s parent company, Alphabet, and has already started operating in Houston, Atlanta, Orlando, Tampa and, as of Tuesday, Memphis.
“I would use the service if I were able to use the service,” Haynes said, adding she lives just outside of the six-mile radius in Atlanta. “When my daughter was in her formula era, I wish I had had that delivery service to do those things.”
Haynes said the company is working on partnerships with Walmarts in two other Greater Cincinnati jurisdictions: the Village of Evendale and West Chester Township, where construction is already complete.
“We typically like to wait until three sites are permitted and complete to actually launch,” Haynes said, adding Wing could complete construction in Union Township within seven days, once it receives the go-ahead.
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