Suburbs

The low skies over Bartlett could start getting a bit more crowded at some point, thanks to a propeller proposal from Walmart.

The merchandiser is making plans to send purchases airborne rather than from trucks traversing roads from warehouse to store to homes.

Sounds kinda weird, right?

Reporter Michael Waddell, who writes about Bartlett, Lakeland and Arlington, explained the new concept in a story this week about the drone delivery service Walmart is considering for the suburban skies. The company, along with Wing Aviation LLC, presented the idea recently to Bartlett’s Board of Mayor and Aldermen.

The representative said the system could be operational by the end of the year.

But there are a lot of steps before then, and a lot of exceptions to who can receive such deliveries.

Single family homes.

A 6-foot-by-6-foot landing pad.

They are only going in a 3-mile radius of the store to start out.

And no wires or trees to deter the drop spot for the drone. Waddell’s story says the flying service will travel 100 to 200 feet above ground then close in to about 25 feet before tethering the cargo down to the spot.

Of course one major concern was raised by Alderman David Reaves. What about people using the small aircraft for target practice? Firing guns at the drones like a skeet shooter yelling “pull”?

And, despite the anticipated jokes about such actions in Memphis, I don’t think such potential incidents are exclusive to this area. In fact, in the last week or so, a guy in Lee County, Florida, inland from Fort Myers, pointed a gun at a drone.

That one was operated by the Lee County Sheriff’s Office.

And, had a camera on it.

Which showed the incident.

Law enforcement body camera provided another angle of the man handcuffed.

All of this drone dropping delivery appears a ways away. The Bartlett presentation was just kind of a test run of what the service could provide.

One other aspect did catch my eye, though. The Wing representative said the system could be beneficial to seniors who can’t get out or who might be sick.

I never thought that my “senior” status could make me a target demographic for flying craft delivering my pudding, Jell-O or bananas.

Make sure they are ripe bananas, please. No green ones. - Suburbs editor Clay Bailey

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