Latest news with #Zipline
CNBC
11 hours ago
- Business
- CNBC
46. Zipline
Founders: Keller Rinaudo Cliffton (CEO), Keenan Wyrobek, Ryan OksenhornLaunched: 2014Headquarters: South San FranciscoFunding: $500 millionValuation: $5.1 billion (PitchBook)Key Technologies: Artificial intelligence, autonomous vehicles, machine learning, roboticsIndustry: LogisticsPrevious appearances on Disruptor 50 list: 6 (No. 21 in 2024) For many sci-fi fans, the word "teleportation" evokes Star Trek visions, but drone delivery company Zipline says that millions of Americans are going to be getting used to a version of it that may be as close to the concept as they ever see: pushing a button and having a drone deliver what they want through the skies and down to their home in minutes. Zipline, which began over a decade ago and first made critical medical deliveries like blood bags over rugged terrain and with the mission of supplying hard to reach places, has now made more deliveries than all of its competitors, a group that includes two of the largest tech companies in the world that have been dabbling in drones for a long time, Amazon (Amazon Prime Air) and Alphabet (Google's Wing). While there were doubts in the early days about whether the models would evolve beyond niche use cases, recent years have seen an increasing number of drone deliveries and approvals from regulators. It is not now unreasonable to envision the drone company and its peers as competitors to a wide range of companies, from Uber Eats and DoorDash to UPS, FedEx and Amazon itself. Zipline is the first company to have made one million commercial drone deliveries, 70% of which it says occurred in 2023 and 2024. Zipline estimates it is now making one delivery every 60 seconds and has logged over 100 million commercial autonomous miles in the skies. That last flight metric made it, according to the company, the "largest autonomous logistics network on Earth." To help put all the drone trips into perspective, Zipline offered a few comparison travel points: 200 lunar round trips, 4,000 journeys around the Earth, or racking up every road in the U.S. 24 times. Last July, Zipline received the FAA's first-ever approval of an uncrewed aircraft systems traffic management system (UTM), like an air traffic control system for drones flying beyond the visual line of sight, and a critical step for drone delivery expansion. Overseas, where Zipline had some of its earliest successes, it continues to expand as well, including key, critical medical partnerships in countries such as Nigeria, where it has been delivering HIV medicines. The company says throughout its history its drones have delivered roughly 20 million vaccines. In the U.S., Zipline has tripled its customers, and increased the number of states and areas it serves. Health-care systems, retailers, restaurants, businesses and governments are all using Zipline drones, from Panera Bread to the Mayo Clinic. While health care has historically been the biggest use case, food is going to be responsible for a lot more growth in the future, according to the company, including partners such as Sweetgreen and Chipotle. In January, Zipline launched its P2 drones — which can fly as far as 24 miles, up to 70 mph, and carry up to eight pounds — in a state associated with a well-know retailer: Arkansas. It was able to deliver more than 28,000 items from the local Walmart to customers and recently expanded operations to Dallas. Walmart told CNBC in an email in April that it had completed over 150,000 drone deliveries to homes since 2021, and with 4,600 stores located within 10 miles of 90% of the U.S. population, it is "uniquely positioned to execute drone deliveries at scale." Just last week, Walmart said it was expanding its drone deliveries to three more states in a deal with Zipline rival Wing. The drone delivery business is still relatively small within the transportation sector, and its growth has been uneven over the past decade. But with billions of deliveries in the U.S. alone reliant on century-old climate-intense logistics infrastructure, the tailwinds are there if the technology continues to improve and the economic model continues to scale: faster, potentially lower cost, and zero emissions. Kieran Shanahan, chief operating officer of Walmart U.S., told CNBC last week, "We see it as part of a broader ecosystem of things. And who knows what five years, 10 years time will bring as new technologies and capabilities unlock?" Zipline CEO and co-founder Keller Rinaudo Cliffton recently told the Wall Street Journal "Bold Names" podcast he is focused on the next few years: "It took us eight years to do a million deliveries ... Two and a half years from now we need to be doing a million deliveries a day."
Axios
5 days ago
- Business
- Axios
Walmart expands drone delivery to 5 southern cities
Walmart plans to start delivering items by drone in five major cities, the company announced Thursday from its new headquarters in Bentonville, Arkansas. The markets are Atlanta; Charlotte, North Carolina; Houston, Texas; and Orlando and Tampa, Florida. The big picture: The expansion is the retailer's latest move to tap technology to get goods to customers faster and easier, and it has real bottom line consequences for the retailer. "When we see a customer adopt fast delivery, their spend with Walmart doubles, and then when they use it four times, spend triples," the company's Chief Operating Officer Kieran Shanahan said Thursday. The latest: Working with drone provider Wing, Walmart will launch the drone service at 100 stores, building on existing operations in Northwest Arkansas and Dallas-Fort Worth. Wing drones can fly up to 6 miles from their store. Zoom in: The NWA service is now only available in Pea Ridge, via Zipline, a Walmart spokesperson told Axios. More NWA locations will come soon, but no details are yet available, she said. Zoom out: Wing has a designation from the FAA allowing pilots to operate drones outside a human's line-of-sight, which ultimately means they can deliver to a larger radius from a store and use fewer people. Between the lines: The service will be free when customers order through the Wing app. Items weighing up to 2.5 pounds can be delivered, but Wing is working on doubling the payload capacity. What they're saying:"As we look ahead, drone delivery will remain a key part of our commitment to redefining retail," Greg Cathey, senior vice president of Walmart U.S. Transformation and Innovation, said in a news release. "We're pushing the boundaries of convenience to better serve our customers, making shopping faster and easier than ever before." Flashback: Walmart and former delivery partner DroneUp announced last year they would end drone delivery hubs in Phoenix, Salt Lake City and Tampa to focus on perfecting the service in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. It also ended pilot delivery projects in Bentonville and Prairie Grove. The bottom line: "Not only does the amount they spend triple, the number of categories and departments that they interact with increases, and their frequency of shopping with Walmart also increases," Shanahan said.
India.com
05-05-2025
- Politics
- India.com
Watch: New Video Emerges Showing Chaos In Pahalgam Market After Baisaran Terror Attack
A newly surfaced video has shed light on the panic and chaos during the April 22 terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Baisaran Valley, Pahalgam, where 26 civilians lost their lives. The footage, reportedly recorded around 3:35 PM, captures terrified tourists—many with children—fleeing the area, running downstream from the valley to escape the gunfire. According to sources, the video aligns with the timeline of the attack, which began earlier that afternoon. Additional CCTV footage from a nearby market further confirms the aftermath, showing people sprinting and vehicles speeding away from the site. Authorities believe the attackers had cross-border connections and deliberately targeted civilians in the scenic tourist destination. Another CCTV footage has come up showing tourists returning from Baisran Valley 35 to 40 minutes after the attack. It shows women and children in Panic state.#Pahalgam #Baisran — theviralmail (@theviralmail) May 4, 2025 Earlier, many videos had surfaced online in which the dead bodies and attack on the tourists were recorded. In one such video, people were seen screaming as the attack broke out while in another, a tourist from Gujarat was seen doing Zipline while the terror attack unfolded at the ground. In the video, a man was seen falling after being shot by the terorists. Since the Pahalgam terror attack, the tension between India and Pakistan have touched a new low with both the nations halting all kind of trades and comunications. Both the countries have also mobilized their armies towards the Line of Control.
Yahoo
16-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Walmart Made Another Big Announcement That Has People Talking
Grocery delivery has evolved from a pandemic-era necessity into a must-have service, with retailers racing to offer faster and more efficient options. Walmart has been exploring innovative delivery methods to streamline how customers receive everyday essentials. Now, Walmart is bringing its delivery partnership with Zipline to Mesquite, Texas, with plans to expand across the Dallas-Fort Worth metro area and never been a better time for food delivery. What began as a necessity during the pandemic has turned into an everyday convenience that many shoppers now can't imagine life without. Retailers and restaurants have continued to expand their options to meet growing demand, allowing customers to get what they need in record time. Last year, Walmart announced plans to make delivery more efficient through InHome Delivery, a service that brings groceries straight to your kitchen. In the same news release, the retailer also mentioned plans for drone delivery, which was still in development at the time. After years of trial flights, Walmart has officially launched aerial delivery service in Texas—and the retail giant doesn't plan to stop there. Walmart has partnered with Zipline, a San Francisco-based company specializing in drone deliveries for health care supplies, restaurants, and groceries. Walmart is joining Zipline's other food-focused partners, which already include Jet's Pizza, Panera, and Sweetgreen. The company uses unmanned aerial vehicles called Platform 2 Zips, or P2 Zips, to bring groceries to eligible homes within a fixed zone. P2 Zips have a 10-mile service radius and can cruise up to 70 miles per hour, meaning your goods can likely arrive faster by drone than they would by traditional methods. Zipline first launched Walmart service in 2021 in Pea Ridge, Arkansas, a community about ten miles north of Walmart's headquarters in Bentonville, Arkansas. With sights set on growth, Zipline has started service in Mesquite, Texas, and soon plans to expand its reach across the Dallas-Fort Worth metro area, bringing service to millions of Walmart customers. According to its website, Zipline also plans to open up shop in the Seattle-Tacoma area in the future, but no official dates have been announced regarding this expansion. Getting your groceries delivered by drone is as easy as ordering regular delivery. Those within the service area can schedule and receive their order in as little as 30 minutes. But before you try to get your entire weekly grocery list delivered, it's important to note that the drones can only carry about eight pounds, meaning many items may not be eligible due to size or weight. These speedy deliveries are ideal for last-minute items. (Think: You ran out of milk and planned to make chocolate chip muffins for breakfast, you forgot an essential dinner ingredient, or need over-the-counter cold medicines and chicken noodle soup.) So, how does it work? All you have to do is add eligible items to your virtual Walmart shopping cart, confirm the drop-off area, and place the order. It's important to note that the drone may not be able to deliver directly to your doorstep. While P2 Zips have the accuracy to land on a space as small as a patio table, with consideration to safety and potential obstacles, you may be asked to select an open space such as your front or back yard, or driveway. When your goods arrive, the drone itself will not land. Instead, it will hover in the air, around 300 feet, and extend a tethered carrier portal to carefully place your items in the drop-off location. According to the Zipline Fact Sheet, Zips are operated by trained personnel who are qualified to fly in a range of weather, such as 'rain, wind, thunderstorms, cold, and other conditions that would normally slow down automotive transport.' So even if the weather outside is frightful, you will still be able to get your movie snacks. And, some good news for Walmart+ members: For a limited time, you can enjoy free drone delivery. Non-members, on the other hand, will have to pay a fee of $19.99 per order. Be sure to keep an eye on the sky, as you never know when delivery drones might land in your neighborhood. Read the original article on ALLRECIPES
USA Today
19-03-2025
- Business
- USA Today
Drones are delivering medical supplies in Massachusetts. Could the tech reach your state?
The future is here. Transportation officials in Massachusetts are testing drone technology to be used in the Bay State to deliver medical supplies, marking the latest effort to use drones to drop goods at Americans' homes nationwide. The drones, which were tested last year, are able to deliver packages up to 10 pounds for a distance of at least one mile. The goal is to use them "for small package delivery, especially for home-based healthcare and emergency medical response in the future," the Massachusetts Department of Transportation said in a statement. 'This demonstration project reflects our commitment to exploring the use of drones to meet critical needs, such as the timely, cost-effective delivery of supplies and devices for health care and emergency management, across the Commonwealth,' Denise Garcia, acting administrator of the department's aeronautics division, said in a press release. What are drones? What are they used for? Drones, a term that encompasses uncrewed aerial vehicle piloted remotely, are widely used among hobbyists, commercial users and the military for a variety of purposes. Tens of thousands of customers around the country already get everything from lunchtime goodies and replacement light bulbs to vaccines and prescriptions via drone. Major retailers including 7-11, Walmart, and Chick-fil-A have launched drone delivery programs, and three of the country's largest drone delivery companies -DroneUp, Zipline, and Wing - say the industry is ripe for expansion. Chick-fil-A via drone delivery? How the fight for sky dominance is heating up In Massachusetts, the department of transportation also uses drones for infrastructure inspection, incident response and supporting other government agencies including the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority and the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency. "MassDOT's drones collect various types of data, like high-resolution images, 3D maps, thermal images, and LiDAR scans," according to "This data helps with proactive maintenance and more accurate condition assessments, aiding in better planning and scheduling." Could drones be used for medical deliveries in other states? A team from the University of Maryland is using drones to deliver prescription drugs and other medical supplies to residents of Smith Island and other remote communities in the state that would otherwise have to wait days for deliveries. The program was announced in October after the state received a $1.75 million grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation, Gov. Wes Moore said in a statement. Amazon has also used drones to deliver prescription medications to customers in College Station, Texas, about 95 miles northwest of Houston. The company promised in 2023 the deliveries would be made within an hour of ordering and wouldn't cost customers anything extra, offering relief from standing in line, having public conversations about health and strenuous wait times. DroneUp, Zipline and Wing fly deliveries not only for fast food restaurants like Sweetgreen and Wendy's, but also a handful of health clinics in several states, including Texas, Arkansas, Florida, and Virginia. Zipline announced last year that the Mayo Clinic would use the company's autonomous drones to make deliveries directly to patients homes from the health system's campuses in Jacksonville, Fla. and Rochester, Minn. "In the next few years, Zipline's P2 service is expected to reach patients in 11 states, putting better care within reach of more than 30 million people in the United States alone," the company said. Contributing: Eric Lagatta, Jennifer Jolly and Saleen Martin, USA TODAY
