The McKinney Planning and Zoning Commission approved a zoning change request during a Feb. 11 meeting for Zipline Drone Delivery and Logistics, which is partnering with Walmart to offer the service.
In a nutshell
The zoning change was to a request to allow drone delivery as a usage at Walmart located at 2041 Redbud Blvd. The proposal features a fenced-off pad with nine drone charging stations and two loading docks, according to city documents.
City Planner Jake Bennett said pads and loading areas would be located on the east side of the Walmart store, away from the main parking lot.
The details
The delivery system would consist of the drone and a delivery droid, which lowers a customer’s order on a tether, said Stephanie Cook, representing Zipline. The drone has a three-foot delivery radius, and customers can choose where their deliveries would land. At launch, deliveries will be offered to customers within a two-miles radius, Cook said, but the drones have the capacity to deliver up to a 10-mile radius with payloads up to 8 pounds.
“We’re not here to replace weekly grocery trips,” Cook said. “We’re really here for those top-off items.”
Zooming out
Drone delivery technology is expected to expand in North Texas, Cook said. The company started delivering blood and other medical supplies in Rwanda in 2016, she added. The company began expanding its services across Asia and Europe, eventually making its way to the United States.
Zipline is located in California but recently opened a facility in McKinney, Cook said.
In November, McKinney City Council approved updates to the development code to allow drone delivery as an accessory use.
What’s next?
The request will go before the McKinney City Council at a March 4 meeting for final action.
