Overview
- Lowe's, which announced the pilot Thursday, put a drone-delivery program live at its Matthews, North Carolina, store to test ultra-fast fulfillment for customers.
- The pilot uses DoorDash and Alphabet's Wing network so Wing drones can carry roughly 2.5 pounds up to about five miles and deliver from a curated catalog in roughly 20 minutes.
- Eligible customers can place orders through a dedicated "Lowe's by Drone" storefront in the DoorDash app for more than 100 lightweight items such as hand tools, paint products, tape, batteries and cleaners.
- Lowe's says it is working with DoorDash, Wing and regulators to meet safety and airspace rules while listening to store staff and local community concerns about noise and privacy.
- The move positions Lowe's alongside Amazon and Walmart in the retail drone race and may raise convenience for DIY and trade customers if the pilot, which the company is monitoring daily, proves operationally viable.