In early April, Girl Scouts were experiencing a 50% shortfall in cookie sales, with reduced foot traffic and the pandemic limiting their ability to sell their iconic cookies in person-and eating into their annual activity budgets.

Google's delivery service Wing began talking to a local Girl Scout troop in Christiansburg, Virginia, where they run America's first and only residential drone delivery service. Now, enthusiasm and sales are soaring, with the local scouts selling cookies in an entirely new way: via drone.

Residents in Christiansburg can now get Samoas, Thin Mints, Peanut Butter Patties, and more favorites flown through the sky and dropped directly at their front door.

And, through it all, Wing has also been working with the local scouts showing them the technology of how drones work, and hopefully inspiring the girls to pursue STEM careers.

"In return, they're teaching us a lot about how to sell cookies," one spokesperson told WS.

During 2020, Wing was able to support a number of local Christiansburg businesses with their contactless delivery capabilities. For example, the owner of Mockingbird Cafe bakery, reported that drone delivery accounted for about 25% of sales during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic.

WS reported last June on a local library that began using Wing to deliver books to kids stuck at home-brilliant!

Shoppers with a sweet tooth can order through the Wing app in Christiansburg until the end of May, but the company has committed to help the girls sell 3,000 boxes, regardless. So far, the most popular cookie order is-not surprising-Thin Mints.

A recent Virginia Tech survey of consumers in the nearby southern Virginia town found 87% of residents liked the idea of drone delivery following the first year of service in the community.

Drones can deliver goods to a consumer in minutes, without adding to traffic congestion and, energy-wise, they about 10x as efficient as electric vehicles, and more than 50x more efficient than gasoline-powered vehicles.

"It makes a lot more sense to deliver a 1lb box of cookies with a 10lb drone than it does to do it with a 3,000lb car," says Wing.

If it means getting our Thin Mints dropped into our front yard, it's a badge that's worthy of a Girl Scout sash.

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