On June 26, 2024, the Lake County Sheriff’s Office (Florida) responded to a complaint in the Clermont area about a Walmart delivery drone being shot. A bullet hole was found in the payload the drone was carrying.
Witnesses identified the defendant, Dennis Winn, and directed deputies to his residence, where the incident occurred. Deputies contacted Winn at his home and conducted a Miranda interview. During the interview, the suspect admitted to shooting at the drone with a 9mm pistol.
He was subsequently taken into custody and charged with:
- Shooting at an Aircraft
- Criminal Mischief with Damage Over $1,000
- Discharging a Firearm in Public or on Residential Property
Walmart’s drone delivery service is limited to specific Texas, Arizona, and Florida Walmart locations. Both Wing and Zipline have received FAA approval to operate their drones Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS), allowing them to fly without a dedicated observer maintaining visual contact with the drone at all times.
Drone delivery is an exceptionally fast option, delivering items in 30 minutes or less, with some deliveries arriving in as little as 10 minutes. This service complements other expedited delivery methods, such as Express Delivery within three hours, Late-Night Delivery until 10 p.m., and InHome, which includes direct delivery to a customer’s refrigerator.
Walmart’s website states, “Drone deliveries comply with all applicable privacy laws & regulations. Our drone providers use cameras to assist with navigation & help ensure the safety of the operations.”
Walmart has nearly 4,700 stores within 10 miles of 90% of the U.S. population, making it uniquely positioned to scale its delivery services in the future.
Post Image- Photo of a Wing Walmart delivery drone (Post Image Credit: Wing)
