Walmart wants to start testing drones for deliveries


Walmart asked the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration on Monday for a waiver to test drones outside, with the hope that one day, the company will be able to deliver products to consumers at home.
The world's largest retailer is joining the ranks of Amazon and Google, who both have already tested drones for delivery purposes and say a possible launch date is still several years in the future. Walmart's filing says that the company has already conducted drone testing inside, where it doesn't need government approval, and it also wants to use drones to help with inventory at distribution centers.
Bloomberg reports the FAA has issued more than 2,000 waivers to businesses that use drones for aerial surveillance, inspections, and photography. The outlets that have received approvals have flown at low altitudes, within sight of an operator, and were never close to any bystanders. Walmart spokesman Brian Nick said the company still has a lot of testing to do before it can say when and if it will be able to use drones as part of its daily operations.
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Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
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