If you live close to this North Texas Walmart, you can get grocery delivery via drone
A Walmart in Mesquite introduced a new mode of delivery this month: Zipline aircraft.
Yes, aircraft.
That means when a customer places an order at the Mesquite Walmart on 200 US 80, a miniature drone, called a “Zip,” will come deliver the ordered items right to your home. And this happens within a matter of minutes.
Zips are made by a company called Zipline. The autonomous deliveries were originally created to distribute blood and medical supplies in Africa. The company has delivered to more than 5,000 hospitals since their operations launched in 2016.
Then in 2021, Zipline launched their first operations with Walmart in the small town of Pea Ridge, Arkansas. This gave them the success to launch in a bigger area: the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex.
Residents who live within a few miles radius of the Mesquite Walmart can start taking advantage of Zipline Walmart delivery today.
How do Walmart drone deliveries work? Are they safe?
Zipline says safety is at the forefront of their autonomous delivery aircraft.
The drones have already traveled more than 100 million commercial miles, according to Zipline. This is the same as driving on all roads in America 24 times without an incident. Delivery aircraft eliminates the dangers of driving on Texas roads.
No employee is driving the drone, because all Zips are equipped with GPS navigation.
The delivery drop-off system is also trustworthy.
Zipline’s aircraft, called P2, has a separate Delivery Zip that comes out of the main aircraft’s belly to deliver the items, so no customers have to worry about a run in with propellers. Here’s how it works:
At the delivery destination, the aircraft hovers from 300 feet in the air and the Delivery Zip is lowered from the belly on a line.
The Delivery Zip makes it all the way to the ground and also opens up its belly to deliver the bag of goods (The landing is very smooth; we at the Star-Telegram saw it deliver a dozen eggs, with none broken).
After the delivery is on the ground, the aircraft pulls the Delivery Zip back up into the belly.
How to order Walmart products on Zipline
If you are interested in trying out this new means of delivery, you must live within a few miles radius of the Mesquite Walmart located on 200 US 80.
Zipline does plan to further expand into D-FW, so stay tuned.
Here’s how Mesquite residents who live within the delivery boundaries can use Zipline:
Download the Zipline app. You will need to create an account with an email or phone number and share your location.
Shop from Walmart on the Zipline app. Zipline offers more than 65,000 products from Walmart for delivery. The Zip can only hold items that are a combined few pounds or less.
Place your order and pay.
Track your Zipline order. The part that takes the longest is gathering the items for delivery. Once the Zip is loaded, the aircraft is off for delivery at 70 mph. (We saw the P2 flying in 25 mph wind gusts.)
When the aircraft arrives, the Delivery Zip will lower to deliver your items.
Natosha Skannal, the property manager for Riverstone Trail Apartments, said she has used Zipline delivery many times now to deliver snacks, hot meals and prizes for community events.
But really, she said she has seen Zipline benefit her tenants exponentially.
Some Riverstone residents only have one car, so if they need an item but don’t have a car ready, Zipline can deliver the item in a jiffy. There are also occupants with disabilities, and this service has helped them get any item they want or need.
Are these Zips taking jobs from delivery drivers?
Zipline says Zips help lighten the load for delivery services, by sharing the work, not replacing drivers.
Also, Zips still require human help. Though the aircraft delivers the order, Zips cannot pick and package the order.
Zipline/Walmart employees still have to shop for the items, bag them up and load them onto the Zip. From there, the rest is autonomous.
This story was originally published April 22, 2025 at 12:00 PM.