Wal-Mart Applies For Patent For Floating Blimp Warehouse

24-Aug-2017 - USA

Wal-Mart has applied for a U.S. patent for a blimp-style floating warehouse that could make deliveries through drones, Bloomberg reported.

The airborne warehouse, which will contain multiple launching bays for drones, would fly at heights between 500 feet and 1,000 feet. It will be operated autonomously or by a remote human pilot.

The blimps would be deployed fully-stocked with products which are then delivered by drones from the aircraft down to shoppers' homes. The blimp will return to a base station to be restocked and refuelled. Such movable warehouse could serve a wider distribution area, the report noted.

The world's largest retailer expects the proposed floating warehouse could help it lower the costs of fulfilling online orders, especially the expensive last-mile deliveries that are usually handled by a local or national logistics company. The retailers often encourage customers to pick up those orders at the store, where they might grab a few additional items.

Rival Amazon was granted a patent for a similar airborne vessel in April 2016, which reportedly could travel at heights of up to 45,000 feet.

The competition between Wal-Mart and Amazon to grab customers is escalating. Amazon is opening physical stores and recently agreed to buy upscale grocer Whole Foods Market Inc., while Wal-Mart is boosting its e-commerce business through acquisitions and offers like free two-day shipping.

In October, Wal-Mart filed a patent application for a web-based system similar to Amazon's Dash buttons to quickly reorder household goods. The company has also filed a patent for in-store drones that could carry products from the backroom to the sales floor.

Wal-Mart is already testing drive-through pickup using automated machinery. The company also announced Monday the expansion of its online grocery delivery service through a partnership with Uber. (dpa)

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