Wing Drones Begin Delivering Walmart Orders in Ocoee, Florida

Drone delivery company Wing is now flying Walmart orders from the retailer's store in Ocoee, Florida, the West Orange Times & Observer reported on Friday, November 13. Deliveries operate from the Walmart Supercenter at 10500 W. Colonial Drive. The development matters because residents now see aircraft over their homes without necessarily knowing whose they are.

The Ocoee Police Department told residents not to worry, stating that the drones are not police aircraft. It asked people to watch from a distance and not to interfere with deliveries. The source does not say when or where the department posted its message.

Expansion in Florida

Ocoee joins the Apopka and Clermont stores, which opened Wing's first Florida market on July 29. At that time the company said Ocoee would be added "in the coming weeks." The first report of deliveries there appeared 107 days later. The other planned stores were a second Clermont Supercenter on US Highway 27 and Haines City. Wing's Orlando page now lists four communities: Apopka, Clermont, Haines City and Ocoee, but gives no start dates.

Range and conditions

The newspaper reported that residents within a six-mile (9.7 km) radius of the store can order. Wing's FAQ describes six miles as the drone's one-way range, and says that because aircraft route around obstacles, they usually serve homes within about four miles (6.4 km) of the base.

The drones fly at up to 60 mph (97 km/h) with a cruise altitude of about 150 feet (46 meters). During delivery a drone hovers about 20 feet (6 meters) above the yard and lowers the box on a tether. The Florida aircraft carry up to 2.5 pounds (1.1 kg). An address needs a clear area about the size of a picnic blanket, away from trees and power lines.

Earlier incident

In June 2024, a 72-year-old Clermont man admitted to deputies that he had shot down a Walmart delivery drone with a 9mm handgun. The drone was operated by DroneUp, Walmart's partner at the time. The man said he thought it was watching him, and he was later ordered to pay $5,000 in restitution.