Wing Told Manchester "No Photos," but Its Privacy Policy Mentions Them

Drone delivery company Wing and retailer Walmart presented their service to the Board of Aldermen in Manchester, Missouri, on Monday night. Mayor Benjamin Toben said afterward that no drones will deliver in the city this year, even if the service is approved. The topic matters because residents and aldermen asked about surveillance, and what a Wing representative said sits awkwardly with the company's own privacy policy.

What Wing said

According to broadcaster FOX 2, the Wing representative said the aircraft are equipped for delivery only, with no photos or live video feed. Wing's global privacy policy, however, lists "low-resolution overhead photos" among the information it collects. The policy says the drones carry low-resolution navigation cameras that confirm terrain data and support safety. They may incidentally record black-and-white images of people or objects.

For deliveries ordered directly through Wing, the company may in limited instances link images to a customer's account. The policy does not say whether that applies to Walmart orders, and it gives no retention period for drone images. In other public materials, Wing says its cameras assist navigation and safety and send no live feed to anyone.

The process is just beginning

Wing has not yet filed a formal application. It must go through Manchester's review procedure, starting with the Planning and Zoning Commission. The board took no vote on Monday. Wing says its drones carry up to 2.5 pounds (1.1 kg) within a six-mile (9.7 km) radius of a store in under five minutes.

Walmart and Wing named St. Louis as a 2026 market on January 11. Kirkwood's City Council let a similar nest permit die without a motion on October 15. In Manchester, an open house with Wing staff is scheduled for 6 p.m. Tuesday at City Hall.