Walmart plans to begin offering drone delivery in the Seattle area in 2027 through a partnership with Wing, with eligible orders expected to arrive within 30 minutes, the companies announced Oct. 6. The service would carry products weighing up to 5 pounds. Walmart has not yet identified which Western Washington stores will participate. Wing expects to operate from hubs in store parking lots, serving customers within about six miles of each location. The rollout timeline will depend partly on permits for the hubs in individual cities. Walmart representative Emily Bergstrom said the service will be free for a limited time. Customers will be able to check availability through Walmart.com once a nearby store is participating. The plan comes as drone deliveries have faced occasional mishaps. Earlier this year, an Amazon Prime Air drone in Texas dropped a package into a swimming pool. Wing spokesperson Jessie Poole-Strang said Wing drones use onboard sensors to detect obstacles and will return rather than attempt a delivery if they cannot safely navigate around an obstruction. Poole-Strang said the drones are designed to operate in varied weather, including rain and winter conditions, and have Federal Aviation Administration approval to fly after sunset. The companies have not named specific launch locations or provided a firm start date beyond 2027.