'Drone delivery team, assemble'... Alphabet doesn't just own Google — it also owns Wing, the drone delivery startup developed in its experimental "Google X" lab. Starting next month, Wing will be flying Advil, Tums, and Kit-Kats around for Walgreens, FedEx, and (randomly) a regional gift store charmingly called Sugar Magnolia. It'll deliver "within minutes." Bold claim.
Heads-up, Virginia... The most ambitious drone pilot program yet kicks off in Christiansburg, VA — conveniently near the US Department of Transportation. Wing has been testing with the DOT since 2016 to prep for this moment. Here are the key numbers.
- 78%: That's how much of the US lives within 5 miles of a Walgreens — and a large portion needs prescriptions consistently or pills ASAP.
- 10 miles: That's the range of a Wing drone, so the pilot is keeping things local.
- wing.com/virginia: If you're in the area, that's where you can sign up to be an early user (tweet us at @RobinhoodSnacks how it goes).
Wing is a model for tech & regulator cooperation... Wing become the 1st drone operator to be verified by the FAA. Only after that did it pursue these partnerships — and it's doing them in the regulator's backyard (compare that to Uber bulldozing rules to enter new cities). Wing first asked for permission, not forgiveness — and regulators seem to let things move along at a nice pace. Wing should send them an apple pie via drone.