Kroger has a new feature on their site, the drone delivery page. They're partnering with Drone Express to deliver items weighing up to about five pounds from a test store in Centerville, Ohio.
Kroger says orders can be delivered in “as little as 15 minutes. Kroger is now designing bundled product offerings that fit the weight constraints of the Drone Express vehicles. Like a baby care bundle with wipes and formula, another with over-the-counter medications and fluids, and a “S’mores bundle” with graham crackers, marshmallows, and chocolate.
The Chief Technology Officer for Kroger Beth Flippo says “The possibilities for customers are endless – we can enable Kroger customers to send chicken soup to a sick friend or get fast delivery of olive oil if they run out while cooking dinner.” A second pilot program is scheduled to launch this summer in California.
Wal Mart began testing a drone program in Fayetteville NC this past November. Their drones max out at 6.6 lbs.