Walgreens and Alphabet's Wing Will Pilot On-Demand Drone Delivery Service Next Month

Yesterday, Walgreens and Alphabet struck a deal high in the skies. Using Wing's drones, Walgreens will be the first U.S. retailer to test an on-demand drone delivery service. The pilot program lifts off next month (sorry).

Where: When the FAA awarded the drone company "air carrier" certification in April, Wing said it'd begin ferrying goods in Hokie country (Blacksburg and Christiansburg, VA). The Walgreens/Wing service is starting in the latter.

What: People can order food, beverages, over-the-counter medications, and other Walgreensy household essentials. In total, over 100 products will be eligible for delivery through Wing's app. Christiansburganites trying to get prescriptions will still need to go to the store pharmacy.

Big picture: As the drone industry has consolidated, it's becoming a bigger player's game. Tech firms like Alphabet, Amazon, and Uber are building drones in-house. Some retailers, like Walgreens, are piggybacking off this, while the biggest—Walmart—seems to be working on its own drones.