Zipline raises $1.5 billion as Walmart takes drone delivery nationwide: will it reach your city?
Drone delivery company Zipline has raised $1.5 billion at a $21.5 billion valuation and signed a deal with Walmart to add hundreds of new delivery sites. Here's how it works and where it's coming.
Drone delivery is moving from experiment to everyday service in the US. Zipline, the world’s largest drone delivery company by miles flown, has raised $1.5 billion, and Walmart plans to take drone delivery nationwide with it.
The funding
- Amount: $1.5 billion
- Valuation: $21.5 billion, nearly triple its $7.6 billion value in January 2026
- Led by: Paradigm, WCM Investment Management and Layer Global
- Also investing: Uber, Tiger Global, J.P. Morgan, Fidelity, Valor, ARK Invest and Salesforce Ventures
- Use of money: expanding US manufacturing and hiring
The Walmart deal
Walmart and Zipline signed a new multi-year national agreement to launch about 300 more delivery sites. FreightWaves reports they’re working toward more than 270 locations in nearly 20 metro areas, including Seattle and Denver in 2027. Walmart currently has 21 Zipline sites and says it has completed more than 2 million drone deliveries since 2021.
Walmart hasn’t published a full list of cities or a timeline yet. It notes that 90% of Americans live within 10 miles of a Walmart store, which shows how big the potential reach is.
How Zipline delivery works
- You order eligible items in the Walmart (or partner) app.
- Staff load the order into a delivery pod at the store.
- A drone flies to your home and hovers high above (about 330 feet).
- The pod is lowered on a tether to your yard or doorstep.
- Orders can arrive in as little as 30 minutes.
Zipline recently introduced quieter flights and a new aircraft that flies higher, carries heavier orders and travels farther.
Drone delivery used to be a futuristic promise. With Walmart’s reach and Zipline’s funding, it could soon be as normal as a delivery van in many US suburbs.
More than groceries
- Healthcare: Zipline serves more than 5,000 hospitals worldwide and works with Cleveland Clinic and Mayo Clinic in the US.
- Food: Uber aims for one million deliveries a day with Zipline by 2029.
- Dallas-Fort Worth: Zipline says it completed more than one million deliveries there this year.
Will it come to your city?
For now, it’s US-only, focused on Dallas-Fort Worth, Austin and other launched areas, with Seattle, Denver and more planned for 2027. Zipline also runs medical deliveries in several countries, including in Africa. Watch for announcements in the Walmart and Uber apps.
Challenges
- Rules: flying beyond the pilot’s line of sight needs special approval; Zipline holds Part 135 air carrier permissions.
- Noise and privacy: some neighbors worry about drones overhead.
- Weather and size limits: only small, light orders can be delivered.
Frequently asked questions
How much did Zipline raise?
$1.5 billion, valuing the company at $21.5 billion.
Where is Walmart drone delivery available?
Currently in select US areas such as Dallas-Fort Worth, with about 300 new sites planned, including Seattle and Denver in 2027.
How fast is Zipline drone delivery?
Walmart says orders can arrive in as little as 30 minutes.
Is Zipline available outside the US?
Zipline delivers medical supplies to hospitals in several countries, but its home delivery with Walmart is US-only for now.
