In early 2025, Congress passed a continuing resolution to keep the U.S. government funded. But what does that mean for the drone industry? In this episode, Dawn Zoldi breaks it down—especially for companies working in autonomy, robotics, drones, and AI technologies for defense. Listen here: Drone Radio Show · Funding the Future: How the 2025 […]
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RAI Amsterdam to Host Europe’s Premier Industrial Drone Event on April 22-23, 2026 The European drone market is experiencing remarkable growth, fueled by increasing adoption of uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAVs) across industries such as construction, energy, agriculture, and public safety. To meet this demand, Diversified Communications has announced the launch of the Commercial UAV Forum, […]
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How Malware-Equipped Drones Are Shaping Modern Conflict—and What It Means for Global Drone Security Concern Ukraine’s use of malware-equipped drones to sabotage captured Russian systems highlights a new frontier in cyber-physical warfare—a tactic that underscores broader global concerns about drone security. Ukrainian forces have embedded malware in their drones to disrupt Russian attempts to reuse […]
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Walmart and Zipline this week launched on-demand drone deliveries in Mesquite, Texas. That means that as of now, residents within a two-mile radius of a specific Walmart Supercenter — the one at 200 US-80 — can have items delivered by drone. Zipline and Walmart promise items will come within 30 minutes or less. And the best part of the P2 home delivery service? Delivery is free.
Eligible customers can order anything from baby formula to birthday candles during operating hours from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on weekdays and starting earlier at 8 a.m. on weekends.
So far, Zipline has already delivered everything from a dozen eggs to a bag of Popcorners to some flower bulbs for spring gardening.
The April launch marks the official debut of Zipline’s home delivery service in Texas, though it’s been a long time coming. Walmart first announced its partnership with Zipline back in 2020. Zipline test deliveries in Pea Ridge, Arkansas began the following year.
And so while Zipline has already been more quietly delivering thousands of items on behalf of Walmart since 2021, this is the first official public launch in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex. Consider it a key turning point for large-scale U.S. drone delivery, shedding light on two major American companies’ ambitions to redefine fast and sustainable logistics. And it’s another big win for Texas in attracting major drone investment. Perhaps that’s why they call it the Drone Star State.
Founded in 2014, Zipline made its name delivering blood and medical supplies in Rwanda and Ghana. It has since scaled to four continents and completed more than 1.5 million deliveries globally. Zipline claims a perfect safety record over more than 100 million autonomous commercial miles, which is equivalent to driving every road in the U.S. 24 times without a single crash.
But flying drones in developing countries typically means less-crowded airspace. Zipline is now taking its proven track record and tackling American suburbs.
For the Texas home deliveries, Zipline is using its latest Platform 2 system. It features a silent, hovering drone that gently lowers packages via tether from 300 feet in the air. Zipline claims that the Platform 2 system is quiet and unobtrusive enough for neighborhoods and apartment complexes.
As far as actually ordering, customers place their order via the Zipline app. (That’s different than Wing’s drone deliveries in Walmart, where customers order directly through the Walmart app.) Once in the Zipline app, customers select their items to order. Though they pay for the actual items they want, the delivery is free. Plus, there’s no tipping involved.
Zipline handles the rest. Zipline employees work on-site to manage the drones.
“We’ve already become a part of people’s daily routines,” said Conner Wilkinson, Zipline’s Head of Community Engagement, citing feedback from parents and older adults during the early access phase. “This is the future of delivery — faster, more convenient, and magical.”
How do you know if you’re eligible? Unlike some services where an employee scouts out your property to ensure it’s drone-worthy, this is far more automated. Zipline’s app will show customers eligible sites at their address (such as places in the front yard and backyard). Then, the customer can choose which they prefer to receive their delivery at.
While the Mesquite launch is certainly a win for Walmart, it hasn’t been an easy road to get here. Over the past few years, Walmart has tested drone deliveries with multiple partners including Flytrex and DroneUp — but none have achieved broad consumer adoption. Technical limitations, regulatory hurdles and limited service areas have all contributed to sluggish rollouts. In fact just last year, DroneUp made major cutbacks in its partnership with Walmart, including some significant layoffs.
Up until now, Walmart’s most prominent drone partner has been Alphabet-owned Wing. The Wing and Walmart delivery partnership launched in the Dallas suburbs in 2023, and I even headed to Fort Worth to get a Wing drone delivery for myself. Here’s a video of the time I got my first Wing drone delivery:
Being Alphabet-affiliated, Wing is a huge name. But by many metrics, Zipline is actually the biggest drone delivery company in the world.
Wing’s presence is growing and reasonably strong given Federal Aviation Administration regulations around things like flying drones beyond visual line of sight (most operational drone delivery companies have obtained FAA waivers that allow them to fly BVLOS in certain areas). But even still, both Wing and Zipline are limited in the areas they could serve.
With the Zipline P2 home delivery launch in Texas, the initial service zone includes a two-mile radius around the Mesquite Walmart Supercenter.
Unlike past rollouts that were limited in scope or required extensive setup from customers, Zipline’s Mesquite model is built for mass adoption. Crucially, it also solves one of the trickiest challenges in drone delivery: where to drop the package.
Zipline’s tethered system doesn’t require special landing pads or yards. Zipline’s P2 “Delivery Droids” can hover and lower goods onto small designated areas. That allows for deliveries not just to homes with big backyards, but even apartment balconies.
For Walmart, the success of this partnership could finally prove that drone delivery isn’t just a gimmick but rather a way to serve customers that’s either cost-effective, environmentally friendly or scalable (and ideally all three).
Zipline’s tech and track record in tandem with Walmart’s retail dominance (backed by ongoing Wing success) could mean the rest of us living outside the Dallas Fort-Worth area are another step closer to getting drone delivery to our own homes.
For now, service is limited to homes in the immediate vicinity of Mesquite Supercenter. But, Zipline says it has plans to expand to Waxahachie, Kaufman, Weatherford, Greenville, Terrell, Anna, Lewisville, Bedford and other parts of the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Of those, Waxahachie is the next to launch.
Want to know if your house qualifies for Zipline delivery? Download the Zipline app or visit the Zipline website to check your eligibility or join the waitlist.
Oh and by the way, if you happen to be in the Dallas area, then here’s a fun weekend event. Walmart and Zipline are also hosting a public demo on Saturday, April 12, from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. at the Mesquite store at 200 US-80. You can see the drones with your own eyes and — if you live in an eligible area — get signed up.
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– BRINC, an American manufacturer of emergency response drones, has announced that it has raised $75 million in new funding. This capital will be used to accelerate the development and production of BRINC’s lifesaving drone technology. The financing was led by Index Ventures, marking their continued conviction in BRINC following their participation in the company’s […]
The Skyraider II officially joins the Air Force Special Operations Command fleet with the delivery of the first missionized aircraft here at Hurlburt Field, Florida on April 3, 2025. U.S. Special Operations Command representatives and AFSOC leadership joined elected officials and community leaders in a ceremony marking the acceptance. The delivery marks the start of […]
Ukrainian forces are now embedding malware in their drones as a new tactic in their ongoing war with Russia. This development adds a cyber warfare dimension to a battlefield already transformed by drone technology. Russian forces discovered Ukrainian drones carrying malware, evidence of which appeared in a video shared on social media. According to a […]
The Nigerian military in partnership with Briech UAS, the largest drone manufacturers in the country, recently showcased its advanced drones, missiles, and bombs at its facility in Kuje, Abuja. Although the technical details were not revealed, Chief of Defence Staff General Christopher Musa highlighted that the drone will act as a force multiplier, greatly improving […]
Brazil’s XMobots has unveiled a new battery-powered electrical vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), the Nauru 100D, intended to perform surveillance and combat missions. The Nauru 100D was unveiled at the LAAD Defence & Security expo in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on 30 March. CEO of XMobots Giovani Amianti told Janes on […]The following guest post about drone show failures was written by Ruben Martinez, Head of Drone Show Technologies at SPH Engineering. SPH Engineering is a drone software company that makes various products including drone show software.
Drone shows are certainly fun to watch, and most of them go off completely safely. But it’s the exceptions that tend to make the news — and there is an occasional news story around a drone show gone wrong.
For some drone show companies, rapid growth in demand has created pressure to scale up quickly — without in some cases equivalent scale in safety procedures. While advanced software like Drone Show Software (DSS) offers robust safety features to predict or prevent issues, technology alone isn’t enough. Many additional factors—from planning oversights to environmental conditions such as water quality, air quality, and weather, which often vary across geographic locations — can still compromise a show.
In general, most issues stem from an overall lack of preparation — and often it’s human error rather than tech error. The human factors involved in planning and organizing the show are crucial. Comprehensive planning, including scheduling sufficient preparation time, setting clear responsibilities for each team member and ensuring that all safety protocols are followed, is essential to minimize these risks.
So what does that mean in practice? Here are six of the most common mistakes that can lead to failures—and how to avoid them.
Failing to assess the environment before the show can result in serious complications. Evaluate factors like wind conditions, interference from nearby communication signals, and physical obstacles to avoid mid-show failures.
What to do: Visit the site in advance, preferably in person. While there, here are a few things you should do:
Testing from the comfort of your own office is key to spotting technical or operational issues before they become full-blown problems during a live performance on the scene.
Using software solutions like DSS can help verify drone animation accuracy during the design phase. DSS’s built-in simulator can also be helpful in “testing” before you even get to the real location.
What to do: If you use a software like DSS, use the DSS Blender plug-in and Fleet Simulator for pre-flight animation testing. Conduct takeoff tests to verify positioning and calibrate the compass if needed. Repeat tests until all drones complete the test procedures without errors.
A rushed setup increases the likelihood of critical errors being overlooked. Without proper time for final checks, essential safety measures might be missed, leading to avoidable failures.
Before the show, ensure the drones’ settings, such as geofencing and GNSS satellite connectivity, are correctly configured.
Additionally, allocate ample setup time. Of course, setup time varies by your show’s unique conditions. But on average, a fleet of 100 drones requires two to three hours of setup.
What to do: Ensure a well-organized show layout, including designated takeoff zones, restricted staff areas, and secure spectator zones. If possible, perform dry runs of on-site setup on a previous day so that everyone knows what exactly has to be done and how. This can also help the team determine exactly how much setup time is required.
Even when drones are flown successfully in smaller, less complex tests, skipping a full-scale rehearsal under real show conditions can lead to unexpected problems. These might include issues with positioning, flight stability, or communication between drones, which might not have been detected during smaller trials.
Additionally, technical aspects such as battery life, GPS connectivity and software configuration can present challenges that go unnoticed without proper testing. To avoid this, perform multiple dry runs – starting with a simple take-off test to a full test rehearsal with the whole fleet, ensuring that all drones are synchronized and operate as expected.
What to do: Begin with a small-scale rehearsal using 4 to 6 drones. If possible, ideal circumstances would allow you to complete a full-scale test replicating real show conditions.
Whether you do a smaller rehearsal or complete dry run, confirm that altitude, distance and speed constraints match show requirements to prevent mid-air collisions.
Neglecting safety-critical elements increases the risk of malfunctions or accidents. Even experienced teams can make human errors without a structured safety check. ‘Double down on safety’ is a core principle in aviation.
The best drone show software includes an independent control interface that allows a second operator to send emergency commands to individual drones or the whole fleet, which DSS calls Redbutton.
What to do: Assign a dedicated Redbutton operator, measure wind speed accurately, and implement polygon and hard fence settings to minimize risks. Ensure a second person verifies each show-critical safety element as part of a structured double-check process.
A structured checklist is the backbone of a smooth operation. Skipping checklist steps can lead to unexpected issues, from battery failures to GPS connection losses. Having a second person verify each safety-critical element, such as wind speed limits, battery checks, and emergency shutdown procedures, further reduces the risk of failure.
What to do: Utilize the built-in checklist within Drone Show Software. This covers critical safety parameters such as wind speed limits (5-6 m/s max), required GNSS satellites (minimum 13), safety distances, and emergency shutdown procedures. The checklist can also be customized to fit specific project needs.
All these safety measures and best practices are key components of the Drone Show Software training, which is required before operating the system. Regular training ensures that providers stay updated on industry developments and maintain their qualifications.
By committing to strict safety protocols, continuous learning, and meticulous planning, drone show operators can deliver flawless performances that captivate audiences while ensuring safety for all.
-By Ruben Martinez, Head of Drone Show Technologies at SPH Engineering
If you’d like to submit a guest post, contact The Drone Girl here.
About Ruben Martinez:
Ruben Martinez is the Head of Drone Show Technologies at SPH Engineering. With a background in software development, AI solutions and commercial drone operations, he is dedicated to advancing the drone show industry. At SPH Engineering, Ruben has played a key role in expanding commercial drone operations across LATAM. His expertise spans AI-driven solutions like chatbots and speech recognition.
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