Walmart Patent Application Describes Flying Warehouses In Reply To Amazon's Drone Deliveries

Top U.S. retailers Amazon and Walmart have taken steps to revolutionize the current logistics set-up for retail deliveries, especially in creating an infrastructure that will facilitate faster delivery using unmanned aerial vehicles like drones. While Amazon's Prime Air model was showcased last year, Walmart has applied for a similar floating warehouse, from where drones can pick up items and drop them at customers' doors. The patent titled "Gas-filled carrier aircrafts and methods of dispersing unmanned aircraft systems in delivering products" explains the mechanism, which seems similar to a hot air balloon or blimp-style airship. "One or more propulsion systems are secured with the gas chamber and/or the carrier compartment. When activated, the propulsion system causes the transport aircraft to move through the air. The propulsion systems may be configured to advance the transport aircraft upward, downward, in forward and/or reverse directions," the patent states.