A Kroger grocery store in Centerville, Ohio will take to the skies this week. Until now, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has permitted drone delivery with the pilot being in the line of sight. Kroger has joined a growing number of companies that are now allowed to use drones for retail delivery.
Jody Kalmbach, Group Vice President of Product Experience at Kroger said in a press statement:
"Kroger's new drone delivery pilot is part of the evolution of our rapidly growing and innovative e-commerce business – which includes pickup, delivery, and ship and reached more than $10 billion in sales in 2020. The pilot reinforces the importance of flexibility and immediacy to customers, powered by modern, cost-effective, and efficient last-mile solutions. We're excited to test drone delivery and gain insights that will inform expansion plans as well as future customer solutions."
The drone will be capable of carrying up to 5 pounds worth of products which the store will pack into bundles. It can also deliver to any coordinate that can be found on a GPS.
Read the full press release here.