SALT LAKE CITY — The gentle whir of drone delivery will soon be heard over Salt Lake City as Walmart announced the service is coming to Utah.
On Tuesday, the company said Salt Lake City will be added to its 34-site DroneUp delivery network by the end of the year, enabling Walmart to get over 1 million packages into the hands of U.S. customers through the air in as little as two hours.
Once an order is placed, the package is loaded into a drone flown by a certified pilot and delivered to homes by using a cable.
A delivery fee of $3.99 will be added to all drone orders, which can weigh no more than 10 pounds. According to Walmart, "if it fits safely it flies."
Eligible items for drone delivery include diapers, food, and medicine. The company said a top-selling item at one of its hubs is Hamburger Helper.
Walmart's drone expansion will give the company the potential to reach 4 million homes across the U.S., including Utah, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Texas and Virginia.
Last year, Intermountain Healthcare said its drones will deliver drugs and supplies to Utah homes in 2022.
