Lowe's launches drone delivery pilot in North Carolina

Lowe's is testing drone delivery in Matthews, North Carolina, partnering with DoorDash and Wing to deliver tools and home items in as little as 20 minutes. The home improvement chain is the first in its sector to launch such a service, making over 100 products available for aerial drop-off. Eligible customers ordering through the DoorDash app within a five-mile radius of the Matthews store can select the drone option at checkout.

Seemantini Godbole, Lowe's chief information and artificial intelligence officer, said customers often find themselves short a key item mid-project. The pilot's initial assortment targets these urgent needs with lightweight items like hand tools, paint products, and household supplies. Each Wing drone can carry approximately 2.5 pounds per flight. Lowe's has plans to expand the service if the pilot proves successful.

How the service works and early customer use

Eligible customers can select drone delivery at checkout for lightweight, urgent items like tape or blades, addressing mid-project needs that disrupt workflow. The value of receiving a small tool quickly cannot be inferred from the item’s selling price alone. Retailers must determine how often urgent circumstances occur and what customers will pay when they do.

The smallest basket can carry considerable value when the customer needs it now. If drone drops stick, running out of anchors mid-job could go from a weekend killer to a 20-minute pause. Faster fulfillment can keep projects on track and budgets intact. Godbole framed drones as part of a broader plan to serve changing customer needs, which also includes improving express same-day delivery and bringing AI into internal tools for store associates. 'When associates and customers are interacting with Lowe's, I really want the technology to disappear, and I want the experience to shine through,' Godbole said.

Industry context and competitive landscape

Lowe's joins Walmart, Amazon, and Uber Eats in drone delivery trials, with data showing growing adoption and efficiency gains in suburban and exurban areas. Walmart passed one million drone deliveries earlier this year, with 40% of that milestone occurring during its fiscal first quarter of 2027. Its average delivery time was 23 minutes.

Early Walmart drone orders were often driven by novelty, but customers subsequently began using drones more frequently when they needed something quickly. For DoorDash, orders traveling three to five miles took nearly 25% longer than shorter deliveries when using drivers. Some locations in partner drone pilots saw roughly 30% growth in order volume. DoorDash received Federal Aviation Administration authorization in July to launch its own drone delivery operation.

Amazon plans to expand Prime Air to nearly 500 U.S. Cities and towns by the end of 2026, a six-fold increase. It had already delivered hundreds of thousands of packages by drone during 2026. More than 60% of the products Amazon customers buy most frequently meet Prime Air’s size and five-pound weight requirements. A recent examination of drone expansion noted that conventional delivery loses efficiency in suburbs and exurbs where delivery density drops, a problem drones do not share.

Challenges and future outlook

While regulators and communities raise concerns about noise and privacy, Lowe's says it is ensuring compliance and will expand the pilot if results are positive. The service requires regulatory approval as airspace gets busier. Godbole said Lowe's is ensuring the service meets all standards.

Critics have voiced concerns about noise and privacy in other markets. The broader tech push hints at quicker, more predictable service across the board. The pilot's results in Matthews will determine how far and how fast the program spreads.