Walgreens, Alphabet's Wing partner on OTC drug delivery by drones

Alphabet-owned Wing will deliver over-the-counter medicines and household essentials sold at Walgreens via drones, The Wall Street Journal reported April 7.

Starting April 7, Walgreens will stage drone deliveries from a store parking lot in the town of Little Elm, Texas. 

How it works:

  • Customers can purchase drone-delivered products through Wing's app.
     
  • Walgreens team members will then fulfill customer orders, using a tablet to summon the drone once orders are completed.

  • The delivery items will be attached to lines dropped by hovering drones.
     
  • The drone will then reel in the line and fly to deliver the product to the customer.

  • Route planning and flight will be autonomous, but human pilots from Wing will oversee the operations.

Texas Health Resources, a network of nonprofit hospitals, also said it is in discussion to include Wing's drone delivery services for its first-aid kits and to ship medical supplies between facilities.

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