Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility

US Consumer Spending Falls as Trump Tariff’s Muddle Economy

18 hours ago

US Supreme Court Lets Parents Take Kids Out of Classes With LGBT Storybooks

19 hours ago

In Win for Trump, US Supreme Court Limits Judges’ Power to Block Birthright Citizenship Order

20 hours ago

California’s Newsom Sues Fox News for $787 Million for Defamation Over Trump Call

20 hours ago

Motorcycle Collides With Tractor in Fatal Fresno County Collision

20 hours ago

Fourth of July Celebrations Begin Saturday. Here’s Your Fresno Area Guide

23 hours ago

Bill Moyers, Broadcaster and LBJ’s White House Press Secretary, Dies at 91

2 days ago

State Department Approves $30 Million for Gaza Humanitarian Foundation

2 days ago

Cargo Ship That Caught Fire Carrying Electric Vehicles Sinks in the Pacific

2 days ago

4 Million Acres of California Forests Could Lose Protection. What Trump’s ‘Roadless Rule’ Repeal Could Do

3 days ago
Google Affiliate Begins Drone Deliveries in Virginia Town
gvw_ap_news
By Associated Press
Published 6 years ago on
October 20, 2019

Share

A Google affiliate has started using drones to deliver customers’ Walgreens and FedEx purchases in a test being run in a Virginia town.
Wing, which is owned by Google parent Alphabet, received federal approval earlier this year to make commercial deliveries by drone. It was the first drone company to receive the approval in the U.S., beating out Amazon’s Prime Air, which revealed its drone plans in 2013.

“I didn’t think I would live that long or it wouldn’t come in my lifetime, I’m thrilled.” — Susie Sensmeier
Earlier this month, UPS also got approval from the Federal Aviation Administration to fly delivery drones. The company has been running delivery tests with WakeMed’s hospital campus in Raleigh, North Carolina.
Wing partnered with Walgreens, FedEx and local gift shop Sugar Magnolia to perform the tests in Christiansburg, Virginia. Walgreens customers in the town will be able to order from a list of more than 100 items and get them delivered to their doors by drones.
The first Walgreens drone delivery customers ordered cough and cold medicine. A Wing drone also delivered a FedEx package from Dick’s Sporting Goods to another family in town.
Susie Sensmeier received a purple winter vest she ordered from Dicks Sporting Goods delivered by a drone to her front yard. The 81-year-old said she never thought she’d see something like it.
“I didn’t think I would live that long or it wouldn’t come in my lifetime, I’m thrilled,” she said.
The drones will start with a flying radius of about 4 miles from Wing’s distribution facility in Christiansburg. The drones are capable of flying a 12-mile round trip, and Wing expects to widen its radius eventually, though it did not give a timeline for expansion.

Privacy and Safety Concerns Have Been a Concern Across the U.S.

Wing has already launched tests in Canberra and Logan City, Australia, and Helsinki. But Friday’s flights mark its first live commercial deliveries in the U.S. since receiving the air carrier certification from the FAA.
Wing CEO James Ryan Burgess noted the speed with which drones can make deliveries — sometimes within minutes of ordering — and the environmental benefit of having fewer delivery trucks on roads.

“We’re looking at trends in cities including congestion and environmental sustainability. We see drone deliveries as a key part of solutions to these.”Wing CEO James Ryan Burgess
“We’re looking at trends in cities including congestion and environmental sustainability,” he said. “We see drone deliveries as a key part of solutions to these.”
In Wing’s Australia pilot, Burgess said many of the deliveries are for food and cold medicine — things people may need when they don’t want to leave the house. But another popular drone delivery item is hot coffee, which the company is delivering in partnership with a local coffeehouse. The coffee stays hot because the delivery often takes less than four minutes, he said.
Privacy and safety concerns have been a concern across the U.S. as drone use increases. But Burgess stresses that Wing’s delivery drones do not operate with the same intention as those flown for hobbies.
The aim of Wing’s drones is not to take pictures and video, he said, but rather to safely make deliveries. There are cameras on Wing’s drones that are used for navigation, but Burgess said the images are processed onboard the aircraft and not streamed back to Wing’s main servers.
Wing has hinted it plans to expand the service to other towns, but has not revealed details.

DON'T MISS

What Are Fresno Real Estate Experts Predicting for 2025 and Beyond?

DON'T MISS

First California EV Mandates Hit Automakers This Year. Most Are Not Even Close

DON'T MISS

Trump Sends in DOGE to Slash Federal Gun Regulations by July 4

DON'T MISS

Tensions Flare at Announcement of Major Fresno County Gang Takedown

DON'T MISS

Measure C ‘Blackmailed’ As Fresno Enviro Coalition Gets Huge Say on Transportation Tax

DON'T MISS

Despite $49M Deficit, Fresno Unified Gives Top Brass 5% Raise, 3% One-Time Bonus

DON'T MISS

US Consumer Spending Falls as Trump Tariff’s Muddle Economy

DON'T MISS

US Supreme Court Preserves Key Element of Obamacare

DON'T MISS

US Supreme Court Lets Parents Take Kids Out of Classes With LGBT Storybooks

DON'T MISS

Fresno Unified Trustees Will Get Automatic Raises on Tuesday

DON'T MISS

Alleged ‘Fake’ ICE Agents Charged. Fresno Court Date Set

DON'T MISS

In Win for Trump, US Supreme Court Limits Judges’ Power to Block Birthright Citizenship Order

UP NEXT

Bill Moyers, Broadcaster and LBJ’s White House Press Secretary, Dies at 91

UP NEXT

Tesla Executive, Elon Musk Confidant Leaves EV Maker, Bloomberg News Reports

UP NEXT

How a Birthday Boat Ride on Lake Tahoe Turned Tragic

UP NEXT

Cuomo Concedes to Mamdani in New York City Democratic Mayoral Contest

UP NEXT

Mamdani Holds Lead Over Cuomo in Democratic Primary for NYC Mayor

UP NEXT

Clovis Man Sentenced to 8 Years in Federal Prison in Deadly Fentanyl Case

UP NEXT

Victims Identified as Death Toll Climbs to 8 in Lake Tahoe Boating Tragedy

UP NEXT

Florida to Build ‘Alligator Alcatraz’ Detention Center for Migrants in Everglades

UP NEXT

Americans Worry Conflict With Iran Could Escalate, Reuters/Ipsos Poll Finds

UP NEXT

Advisory Warns of ‘Heightened Threat Environment’ in US After Iran Strikes

Despite $49M Deficit, Fresno Unified Gives Top Brass 5% Raise, 3% One-Time Bonus

16 hours ago

US Consumer Spending Falls as Trump Tariff’s Muddle Economy

18 hours ago

US Supreme Court Preserves Key Element of Obamacare

19 hours ago

US Supreme Court Lets Parents Take Kids Out of Classes With LGBT Storybooks

19 hours ago

Fresno Unified Trustees Will Get Automatic Raises on Tuesday

20 hours ago

Alleged ‘Fake’ ICE Agents Charged. Fresno Court Date Set

20 hours ago

In Win for Trump, US Supreme Court Limits Judges’ Power to Block Birthright Citizenship Order

20 hours ago

California’s Newsom Sues Fox News for $787 Million for Defamation Over Trump Call

20 hours ago

Motorcycle Collides With Tractor in Fatal Fresno County Collision

20 hours ago

Ringo Is Ready to Rock Your World With ‘Pawsitive’ Vibes!

21 hours ago

Trump Sends in DOGE to Slash Federal Gun Regulations by July 4

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Government Efficiency has sent staff to the agency that enforces federal gun laws with the goal of revis...

14 hours ago

American Flag Revolver
14 hours ago

Trump Sends in DOGE to Slash Federal Gun Regulations by July 4

Rob_Bonta_Speaking_At_Press_Conference_1280x720
15 hours ago

Tensions Flare at Announcement of Major Fresno County Gang Takedown

Garry_Bredefeld_Sandra_Celedon_Mesure_C_1280x720
15 hours ago

Measure C ‘Blackmailed’ As Fresno Enviro Coalition Gets Huge Say on Transportation Tax

Fresno_Unified_Raises_1280x720
16 hours ago

Despite $49M Deficit, Fresno Unified Gives Top Brass 5% Raise, 3% One-Time Bonus

Eastern Market in Washington, D.C.
18 hours ago

US Consumer Spending Falls as Trump Tariff’s Muddle Economy

Obamacare Sign in San Ysidro, California
19 hours ago

US Supreme Court Preserves Key Element of Obamacare

Pride Flags Fly in New York
19 hours ago

US Supreme Court Lets Parents Take Kids Out of Classes With LGBT Storybooks

20 hours ago

Fresno Unified Trustees Will Get Automatic Raises on Tuesday

Help continue the work that gets you the news that matters most.

Search

Send this to a friend