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Pea Ridge approves Walmart drone delivery service

According to the city, this is a test program servicing a select number of people in Pea Ridge.

PEA RIDGE, Ark. — The Pea Ridge Planning Commission has unanimously approved the accessory use for Walmart Neighborhood Market for Zipline drone Delivery service.  

According to the city, this is a test program servicing a select number of people in Pea Ridge. It is not limited to city limits, but close-by.

This will create about 10 local jobs. 

The city says the drones have a reach of 50 miles, so this puts all of Northwest Arkansas within reach eventually.

They will be autonomous flights, all flight plans and paths will be approved by the FAA. A parachute will drop the packages, within a small target.

The drones are not quads and are more like small planes. They travel about 300-400 feet in the air and are very quiet, according to the city.

The drones have a 10-foot wingspan and are “caught” much like you are caught on a zip line, they do not land like aircraft.

They will deliver health and wellness products about 30 minutes after you order them online, but will not deliver prescription medications. 

The packages will have a limited weight of 3.9 pounds.

The delivered box will look like a Walmart box that has been left by UPS or FedEx.

RELATED: FAA outlines new rules for drones and their operators

RELATED: Walmart expanding drone delivery testing to Northwest Arkansas

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