Google CEO Sundar Pichai predicts ‘Big Year for Wing’ as company ties up with Walmart to take on Amazon

Google CEO Sundar Pichai has predicted a successful year for Alphabet’s drone subsidiary, Wing, as the company enters a nationwide partnership with retail giant Walmart. The autonomous logistics company has announced an expansion to bring ultra-fast delivery to millions, directly challenging Amazon’s dominance in the drone delivery space.“At the @NRFBigShow today, @Walmart and @Wing shared the expansion of their delivery service to 150 more stores. Houston delivery starting Jan 15 and when the expansion’s complete will reach 40M people, Pichai said in a post on X. “Going to be a big year for Wing!,” he added. Wing, meanwhile, shared a separate post saying, “Today at #NRF2026, @sundarpichai shared how our @Walmart partnership is rewiring retail. By combining world-class tech with the nation’s largest retailer, we’re making ultra-fast, drone delivery the new standard.”According to the company, the expansion of delivery officially kicks off in Houston on January 15, before rolling out services to major metropolitan hubs including Los Angeles, St. Louis, Cincinnati and Miami. By 2027, Walmart and Wing expect to operate a network of over 270 locations.“We’ve spent years building our technology to ensure that when you realize you’re out of eggs or need medicine, the solution is just a few taps away,” said Wing CEO Adam Woodworth. Walmart executives added that the service is becoming a “normal part of everyday life” for busy families.“Drone delivery plays an important role in our ability to deliver what customers want, exactly when they want it. Whether it’s a last-minute ingredient for dinner, a must-have charger for a phone, or a late-night essential for a busy family, the strong adoption we’ve seen confirms that this is the future of convenience,” added Greg Cathey, senior vice president of Digital Fulfillment Transformation at Walmart. “By expanding drone delivery to new major metro areas, we are helping more customers solve for their last-minute needs faster than ever before,” Cathay added.Meanwhile, Amazon continues to test its “Prime Air” service in select markets.