Walmart is stepping up its investment in drone-powered deliveries across the United States, announcing plans to establish 300 additional drone delivery locations through an expanded, multi-year partnership with Zipline.

Unveiled on November 5, the initiative is designed to make rapid aerial deliveries accessible to a much larger customer base over the coming years. The partnership could also be expanded further, signalling Walmart’s intention to make drone delivery an increasingly important part of its e-commerce fulfilment strategy.

Customers whose addresses fall within the eligible delivery areas will be able to select the service through Walmart’s website or mobile application. Orders will be transported directly to customers’ properties, with deliveries made to designated areas such as front yards, backyards or driveways.

The collaboration builds on an existing relationship between the two companies. Zipline has been working with Walmart since the retailer launched its drone delivery programme in 2021 and currently operates 21 Walmart drone locations.

A fast-growing air delivery network

The latest announcement follows Walmart’s drone delivery operations gaining traction with consumers.

The retailer said it had completed its one millionth drone delivery in May. More than 40% of those shipments were from the first quarter. Since then, the cumulative number has doubled, and it’s a sign that customers are increasingly adopting the service despite early trepidation around drone-based deliveries.

Walmart entered 2026 with 66 active drone delivery sites, and has been steadily growing the footprint throughout the year. The move comes after a wider partnership was announced with another drone delivery operator, Wing, in January.

Through that partnership, Walmart plans to bring Wing-powered services to more than 270 of its stores by 2027.

Walmart plans to have at least 570 drone delivery sites in the next few years, including 300 more locations planned with Zipline. That is almost nine times the number of locations in the network, which was 66 at the start of 2026.

The expansion puts Walmart in a better position to compete with Amazon, which has also been building its aerial delivery capabilities and plans to offer drone deliveries in nearly 500 cities by the end of 2026.

Speed as a Competitive Advantage of E-commerce

Walmart’s key draw to drone delivery is the ability to fulfilll orders far faster than traditional delivery methods.

The expanded Zipline partnership will allow eligible customers to order tens of thousands of products through Walmart’s digital platforms and get their purchases delivered in as little as 30 minutes.

The retailer sees faster fulfillment as a way to encourage more frequent shopping, build stronger customer relationships and boost subscriptions to its Walmart+ membership scheme.

Walmart CEO John Furner said during a second-quarter earnings call that customers who use faster delivery services tend to shop more and be more engaged with the retailer. He added that these customers are also more likely to subscribe to Walmart+

“Faster delivery speeds provide consumers with a reason to come to Walmart for a wider range of shopping occasions,” Furner said.

The company’s existing retail footprint is a huge advantage in building this network. Walmart estimates 90% of the US population lives within 10 miles of one of its stores, giving the retailer a massive physical infrastructure to launch a nationwide, locally-targeted drone delivery system from.

“The strategic nature of this proximity,” said Greg Cathey, senior vise president, e-commerce fulfillment transformation, Walmart.

He said the retailer’s stores already put it near to the communities it serves, and the partnership with Zipline will allow the company to build on that geographical advantage and offer fast delivery options to more customers across the country.

Zipline gets $1.5bn to expand

Walmart’s announcement coincided with another major development for Zipline.

The same day, the drone delivery company announced it had raised $1.5 billion in new funding. The investment will help it speed up its next phase of growth, notably by expanding its US manufacturing facilities and growing its workforce.

The funding follows growing demand for autonomous delivery solutions that continue to draw investment and major retail partnerships.

Walmart’s proposed addition of 300 locations is a big opportunity for Zipline to scale up its operations and cement its place in the US drone delivery market.

At the same time, Walmart can use its vast store network and the technical expertise of specialized drone operators to expand delivery reach, speed up order fulfillment and strengthen its competitive advantage in the fast-moving e-commerce field.

As the retailer broadens its collaboration with both Zipline and Wing, drone delivery is moving from limited pilot programs to a much bigger role in its nationwide distribution and last-mile fulfillment strategy.