Alphabet's Wing To Test Drone Delivery With Walgreens, FedEx in Virginia

By Michael Dabaie

Alphabet Inc.'s (GOOG) Wing Aviation LLC said it will work with FedEx Corp.'s (FDX) FedEx Express and Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc.'s (WBA) Walgreens to launch a first-of-its-kind drone delivery service in Christiansburg, Va. next month.

Wing said that its drones will transport select FedEx and Walgreens deliveries directly to homes through the air.

The Walgreens and Wing offering will provide greater convenience and access to health and wellness, food, beverage and convenience products by making over-the-counter medicines and other items available to local residents for delivery on-demand, through the air, within minutes after they are ordered. The companies will use the pilot program to further explore the future of retail delivery as part of their collaboration.

Eligible customers in the Christiansburg area will have access to more than 100 products via the Wing app, Walgreens said. Customers can either choose the individual products they need or a pre-built pack in: allergy, baby, cough/cold, first aid, pain, and kids' snacks. Prescription deliveries aren't available via this service, Walgreens said.

FedEx customers who live within designated delivery zones in Christiansburg, Virginia, and who opt in to the Wing delivery service, will be able to receive their packages via drone during the trial, provided certain operating conditions are met, Wing said

Christiansburg was selected as the test market as Wing has been working closely with nearby Virginia Tech to test drone delivery as part of the U.S. Department of Transportation's Integration Pilot Program since 2016.

Write to Michael Dabaie at [e-mail]

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

September 19, 2019 13:58 ET (17:58 GMT)

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