Google-sibling company Wing now delivering Girl Scout cookies via drone

Let’s be real: the number one food to be delivered by a drone would have to be a Thin Mint. Right? And now, it’s happening. Wing, the drone-focused, sister company of Google is helping to deliver Girl Scout cookies via its drones.

Wing has for a while now been conducting drone delivery tests in Christiansburg, Virginia, thanks to its affiliation with the Virginia Tech Mid-Atlantic Aviation Partnership, which was selected by the Federal Aviation Administration to test more complicated drone use cases. As part of that work, it has delivered everything from medical supplies to coffee from a local cafe.

And a few weeks ago, the company began talking to a local Girl Scout troop. The Girl Scouts said they’ve seen a 50% shortfall in cookie sales this year due to COVID-19. Girl Scouts that may have previously knocked on doors or camped out in front of grocery stores selling their cookies are less likely to do that due to the pandemic. Knocking on strangers’ doors probably isn’t Dr. Fauci-approved yet.

But the Girl Scouts anticipate drone delivery could bring their cookie sales higher than ever. After all, what better way to get Do-si-dos and Trefoils to your table than via a drone?

Thanks to a partnership between the local Girl Scout troop and Wing, residents in Christiansburg can now get Samoas, Thin Mints, Peanut Butter Patties, and more delivered directly to their homes via drone.

Read more: 6 things to know about Wing delivery drones

As long as you live in an eligible delivery area in Christiansburg, download the Wing app. You can download the Wing app from the Apple App Store or via Google Play. From there, you can use the app to place your order. Then wait, and a drone will arrive to you. As it approaches, it will slow to a hover and then descends vertically to about 23 feet above the ground. It won’t actually land — it’ll simply lower your cookies through a tether-type mechanism.

The cookies are packaged in a Wing container, similar to the other items Wing has delivered in the past from companies like Fedex or Walgreens.

Wing says it is planning to deliver 3,000 boxes of cookies — but is willing to do more if there’s demand. Cookies are available for drone delivery through the end of May.

Wing says it is planning to deliver 3,000 boxes of cookies — but is willing to do more if there’s demand. Cookies are available for drone delivery through the end of May.

What Wing’s drone deliveries can do for STEM education

Wing said that the partnership is educational too. The company said it is working with the local scouts to show them how drone delivery works — and hopefully inspire some to pursue a STEM career.

While this Wing news marks what’s likely the most official Girl Scout drone cookie delivery service out there, it’s not the first. In 2018, a group of Girl Scouts at the STEM Center of Excellence at Camp Whispering Cedars spent four days in a drone camp, learning safe flying, drone assembly, and even flying an obstacle course. They also developed business models for drone businesses in a Shark Tank-style setting. And the following year, we learned that the Girl Scouts of Northeast Texas were building their own drones which they used to deliver 2019’s crop of Girl Scout Cookie boxes.

How drone deliveries could boost revenue for Girl Scout cookies

Wing says the Girl scout cookie deliveries will help with sales not just because of the marketing aspect (though that is a valid reason why). Wing said drone deliveries or small items like cookie boxes are more efficient than using cars. Wing also expects drones to offer up safer roads, faster deliveries, additional revenue for local business, and a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. After all, a Wing drone can deliver goods to a consumer in minutes, without adding to traffic congestion.

Wing estimates its drones are about 10x as efficient as most electric vehicles and 50x more efficient than an average gasoline-powered vehicle.