Following Amazon, competitor Walmart has also applied for a patent for a flying distribution centre. The flying warehouse is said to take the shape of a zeppeling at 150 to 300 metres.
Amazon obtained a patent for a flying warehouse last year. The online giant wants a zeppelin to act as a distribution centre during major events such as concerts or sports games, the patent application said. Drones could pick up orders at the warehouse and take care of the last mile.
Also read: Walmart lets commuting shop employees deliver parcels
According to Bloomberg, Walmart too is now seeing the benefit of an airborne warehouse. This way, the departure point of orders can be chosen even more strategically than with a distribution centre on land. Walmart therefore has plans for a flying distribution centre that looks a lot like the DC in Amazon's patent. The patent application shows an aircraft that has multiple launch mechanisms. From this, drones can descend.
Bloomberg considers it likely that the patent will be approved. Indeed, the application is even more detailed than Amazon's obtained patent.
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