Walmart explores delivery via drone

Walmart is investigating how to use blockchain technology for the delivery of its products via automated delivery drones. That news was retrieved from a recent patent application by the U.S. supermarket giant. The document describes drones arriving at a delivery exchange point, verifying their identity via the wireless exchange of ‘blockchain keys’, then passing on deliveries to other drones.  

Using automated technology reduces the number of times a delivery process currently has to be verified manually. Blockchain technology would create a reliable system of verification that customers can trust, even if the delivery process becomes highly automated.

“Drones moving packages from A to B are only a small part of the potential market opportunity”, comments John Frazer, CCO of DAV, a company offering an open-source platform for trading transportation services in a decentralised market. 

“Walmart’s application also explores using intercommunication between autonomous vehicles, and between vehicles and customers, to improve drone utilisation and revenue generation. By applying common protocols and gig economics, drone operators can market idle drones to those needing immediate carriage capacity, much like people market available accommodation on AirBnB”.