AllianceTexas Is Building America’s First Autonomous Logistics Ecosystem and Redefining North Texas as the Future of Freight
Hillwood’s 27,000-acre AllianceTexas development has long served as a proving ground for what’s next in logistics. Now, through decades of public-private partnership, the creation of a Smart Port, and the integration of forward-thinking policy, AllianceTexas is helping define the future of freight by positioning North Texas to lead in the algorithmic age of supply chain infrastructure.
The future of logistics isn’t being built in Silicon Valley. It’s being built in Fort Worth.
Hillwood’s decades-long commitment to AllianceTexas—anchored by public-private partnerships, infrastructure investment, and a clear-eyed view of what next-generation supply chains would require—created the foundation for what’s happening today. Over time, advancements in autonomous technology, regulatory frameworks, and industry needs aligned with Hillwood’s existing infrastructure strategy. This convergence enabled the company to pair its vision with complementary investments from regional partners, creating a platform for additional improvements happening now and planned for the future.
That partnership extends across municipal and regional boundaries. The City of Fort Worth, TxDOT, the North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG), and the City of Haslet have coordinated to deliver a $262 million grant for a direct flyover connection from Interstate 35W into the AllianceTexas Smart Port via the SH-170 Spur connector. This critical infrastructure optimizes freight movement to AllianceTexas facilities and BNSF’s intermodal terminal while reducing congestion on public roadways and lowering emissions—a regional mobility enhancement that unlocks the full potential of what comes next.
The Infrastructure Behind the Innovation
In November 2025, the City of Fort Worth, Hillwood, and BNSF Railway established the Alliance Logistics District — a 1,400-acre zone that represents the first freight corridor of its kind within BNSF’s rail and intermodal network. Built on the foundation of what the SH-170 Spur connector will enable, the district grants unprecedented operational flexibility: the right to deploy semi- and fully autonomous vehicles along district roadways, the use of private hostler vehicles without commercial driver’s license requirements, and heavy-haul freight movements exceeding 80,000 pounds without special permits.
It’s a regulatory breakthrough that could save customers millions annually while reducing congestion on public roads. More significantly, it positions AllianceTexas as the proving ground for technologies that will define the next era of supply chain efficiency.
“This is a first-of-its-kind district that enables advanced logistics operations, including autonomous and heavy-haul freight movement,” says Nicholas Konen, vice president of strategic development at Hillwood. “We’re trying to make that movement as efficient as possible, and to allow for any type of movement that could theoretically come off of the rail.”
Complementing the $262 million public grant is Hillwood’s $20 million private three-lane bridge currently under construction over FM 156, designed exclusively for commercial and autonomous semitrucks shuttling cargo between BNSF’s Alliance Intermodal Facility and the district’s 15 million square feet of distribution, logistics, and manufacturing space. The bridge — closed to residential traffic and equipped with automated gates — will directly link the container depot to the intermodal terminal, dramatically reducing transit time and eliminating the need for freight to navigate public roads. Construction is expected to wrap in late 2027.
The Smart Port strategy integrates multiple layers of infrastructure: an Integrated Intermodal Network leveraging BNSF’s 500-acre Alliance facility processing over 1 million lifts annually, enhanced connectivity via 5G communication network capacity and a centralized container-tracking database, a new 32-acre integrated intermodal depot, Resilient Microgrid Power ensuring operational continuity, and a direct connection to the Texas Connected Freight Corridor. All working together to enable efficient movement of goods while maintaining resilience and connectivity at every layer.
Logistics and Manufacturing at Scale
While the infrastructure is critical, it’s the integration of logistics operations, third-party logistics providers, and the advanced manufacturing customer base that makes AllianceTexas a genuine inflection point for the supply chain industry. The Alliance Logistics District’s operational flexibility creates a controlled environment where logistics companies can operate with unprecedented efficiency. By eliminating the variability of traditional public roadways, the district provides a testbed where advanced freight systems can operate at higher efficiency with lower risk.
“This controlled setting allows for safer integration of advanced vehicle technologies while maintaining oversight and adaptability as conditions change,” Konen says.
The vehicles operating within the district are purpose-built for predictable freight movements, such as short-haul shuttles between facilities and the intermodal terminal, rather than long-distance highway runs. These operations are being conducted by logistics providers and manufacturing tenants who rely on seamless connections between rail and their distribution facilities.
The Economic Proof Point
AllianceTexas has generated a cumulative economic impact of $142.9 billion since 1990, according to a February 2026 presentation to Fort Worth officials. Local communities have invested an estimated $4.55 billion in property taxes over that period.
But it’s the recent acceleration that tells the more compelling story. In 2024, AllianceTexas accounted for $834.6 million in international trade—a 550.7 percent increase from 2016, according to a study from the Texas Comptroller’s office. Exports at AllianceTexas increased 378 percent between 2023 and 2024 alone.
Acting Texas Comptroller Kelly Hancock emphasized the facility’s strategic importance during a stop on the Good for Texas Tour: Ports Edition. “Ports are key to Texas’ economic strength. They power trade, jobs and innovation,” Hancock said. “AllianceTexas is a clear example of how forward-thinking infrastructure keeps our economy strong and competitive worldwide.”
Of the $1.6 billion invested in AllianceTexas in 2025, federal and state funds accounted for 43.02 percent, reflecting the facility’s recognition as critical infrastructure for national supply chain resilience.
Why This Matters for North Texas
The logistics industry is undergoing a transformation as profound as the shift from steam to diesel or analog to digital. Autonomous vehicles, AI-driven route optimization, and intelligent infrastructure are converging to redefine how goods move through global supply chains — and AllianceTexas has positioned itself as the epicenter of that transformation.
What’s happening at AllianceTexas is more than incremental improvement. It’s a fundamental reimagining of what a port can be. A place where policy, infrastructure, and technology align to create competitive advantages that compound over time. The Alliance Logistics District isn’t just enabling efficient movement of goods; it’s reducing operational costs for co-located companies, pulling traffic off public roads, lowering carbon emissions, and creating a live testbed where the next generation of logistics technology can be developed, refined, and scaled.
A Proving Ground for the Future
AllianceTexas has become a testbed for innovations that extend well beyond freight.
Aviation startup Aerolane established its flight operations headquarters at Perot Field Alliance Airport and successfully completed flight testing of its Aerocart cargo glider system—a “sky train” technology designed to dramatically reduce fuel costs by towing unpowered cargo gliders behind traditional aircraft. The system is now cleared for commercial deployment. Additionally, the low-altitude weather data network deployed by TruWeather Solutions throughout AllianceTexas, backed by grants from NASA and the U.S. Department of Transportation, provides real-time micro-weather intelligence critical for drone delivery and electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft operations as well as autonomous surface operators—creating the data infrastructure necessary for next-generation autonomous air systems to operate safely in variable conditions.
Autonomous Solutions Inc., a global leader in industrial vehicle automation, opened its newest U.S. office in AllianceTexas in 2025, citing the region’s momentum as a center for innovation. Even rare-earth magnet production is finding a home at AllianceTexas. MP Materials, which recently announced a multibillion-dollar Department of Defense partnership and a $500 million collaboration with Apple to produce 100 percent recycled rare-earth magnets, has operations in the development, cementing AllianceTexas’ role in securing domestic supply chains for critical materials.
The Bottom Line
What’s being built at AllianceTexas isn’t a logistics facility. It’s an operating system for the future of freight. A place where autonomous vehicles, intelligent infrastructure, and forward-thinking regulation converge to create a competitive advantage that scales.
For North Texas, that advantage compounds in two directions. First, AllianceTexas attracts the companies building next-generation supply chain technologies—the logistics innovators, the manufacturing leaders, the third-party logistics providers who need live testing environments to validate their systems. Second, it attracts manufacturers, distributors, and e-commerce giants who need access to the most efficient, cost-effective logistics infrastructure available.
The result is an innovation flywheel: better infrastructure attracts better companies, which attract more investment, which funds better infrastructure.
North Texas has always been a logistics hub. What’s happening at AllianceTexas is the evolution from hub to epicenter, a place where goods pass through to a place where the technologies defining the future of global trade are being invented, tested, and deployed at scale.
This autonomous logistics ecosystem isn’t a bet on the future. It’s the future arriving ahead of schedule, and AllianceTexas is writing the playbook.
Hillwood convenes industry leaders, operators and policymakers to shape what’s next
More than 150 senior leaders from across the country, representing supply chain operators, technology companies, investors and policymakers, gathered at Hotel Drover in Fort Worth for Hillwood’s fifth annual Forward Fort Worth Summit. The invitation-only, two-day event focused on the real-world deployment of innovation across the supply chain, bringing together groups actively building, operating and investing in what comes next.
Forward Fort Worth continues to reinforce Hillwood’s role as a trusted convenor of the leaders shaping the future of mobility, logistics and infrastructure. Through the summit and the ongoing work happening at AllianceTexas and in Fort Worth, Hillwood is helping connect the companies, technologies and partnerships driving meaningful progress across the supply chain.
“Forward Fort Worth reflects how far the industry has come in turning innovation into operations,” said Ian Kinne, Vice President of Logistics Innovation at Hillwood. “When we started this five years ago, much of the conversation centered on what was possible. Now, it is about what is working and how those successes can be scaled across the supply chain. What makes this event unique is its ability to bring together operators, innovators, investors and public-sector leaders who are actively building and scaling those solutions. Hillwood is proud to create an environment where those conversations can lead to action.”
The summit opened with remarks from Mike Berry, president of Hillwood, and concluded with a keynote fireside chat between Texas Governor Greg Abbott and Ross Perot, Jr., Chairman of The Perot Group & Hillwood.
This year’s discussions explored some of the most pressing topics facing the industry, including:
- Autonomous Trucking Beyond the Pilot Phase
- Powering the Next Texas Boom: Energy + AI, Demand and the Infrastructure Race
- From Pilot to Platform in Drone Delivery
- The Innovation Pipeline: Incubation, Venture and Scale
- U.S. DOT Update: Ushering in the Golden Age of Transportation
- Beyond the AI Hype Cycle: What’s Live, What’s Scaling, What’s Not
Speakers and panelists represented a wide range of public- and private-sector organizations, including the U.S. Department of Transportation, Kodiak AI, Gatik, Loblaw Companies, Oncor, Zipline, Red Cell, Koch Disruptive Technologies, Schematic Ventures, KPX Logistics, C.H. Robinson, Arrive Logistics, GenLogs, Renaissant, and The Road to Autonomy.
Forward Fort Worth continues to serve as a platform for candid, operator-led discussions around mobility, infrastructure and emerging technologies. The group continues to evolve each year, with a core of AllianceTexas customers alongside industry leaders who are actively deploying solutions at scale and sharing what’s working in real time.
Last week, drones and helicopters filled the skies in AllianceTexas above the Texas Motor Speedway as part of a large-scale exercise simulating a wildland fire. Unlike traditional operations, every aircraft was directed by advanced, fully autonomous technologies.
One team of robotic aircraft located the fire, while another identified water sources for refilling. Working together, the drone teams coordinated which fire targets to attack first, how to avoid one another, and how to deconflict with any rogue aircraft in the area—all while repeating the firefighting cycle.
In January 2024, the North Texas Cohort, led by the University of North Texas (UNT), received a two-year contract from the North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG) to continue Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) research across Dallas-Fort Worth-Denton. The program, titled NTCMT 1-2022, Advanced Air Mobility/Urban Air Mobility System Within the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex (NTXAAMPP), focused on designing, testing, and demonstrating advanced air corridor systems in the DFW and Perot Field Alliance Airport region. The work builds on three years of prior NASA and U.S. Air Force AAM research and development.
Operation FIRE SWARM 2, the latest in a series of increasingly complex trials, showcased the BlueSkies™ Operational Air Mobility system—a hardware/software solution enabling manned and unmanned aircraft to coordinate and safely execute complex maneuvers in metropolitan airspace or wildfire conditions.
For this exercise, a simulated fire was detected near Hillwood’s AllianceTexas Flight Test Center, west of Texas Motor Speedway. An Incident Command Center (ICC) was established to manage the operation. Autonomous search drones were deployed to scan the designated “Fire Traffic Area,” while air corridors and routing were created for a swarm of “water bomber” aircraft. These bombers, professionally piloted Bell 505 helicopters from the Helicopter Institute fitted with BlueSkies™, received assignments via CivTAK tablets.
The water bombers autonomously flew to their designated refill sites, safely deconflicted from one another by the system, then coordinated with search drones to update fire locations and simulate retardant drops at critical points. Once complete, they returned for retasking as new aircraft cycled in.
The mission was a success, marking two firsts in aviation.
- The first live demonstration of small drones operating under FAA-compliant Unmanned Traffic Management (UTM) software, seamlessly interacting with larger aircraft running NASA-designed Provider of Services for UTM (PSU) software.
- The first fully autonomous, multi-aircraft, multi-operator live flight operation demonstrating vehicle-to-vehicle communications in the air.
The FIRE SWARM team will close out the NTXAAMPP project in the coming months but will continue advancing AAM development with partners including NASA’s Advanced Mobility Pathfinder (AMP) project, Texas A&M’s CROW program, and the FAA’s UTM Operational Evaluation Key Site initiative—all based in Texas.
The North Texas Cohort includes Hillwood and Alliance Aviation Services, which owns and operates the AllianceTexas Flight Test Center; the Helicopter Institute as the air platform, crew, and training partner; Avianco as one of the PSU providers; Metron as the demand-capability balancing software developer; Hermes as the primary data-hub; AAMTEX as the UTM and weather service provider; University of North Texas (UNT) as the program lead; and Unmanned Experts Inc. as the program manager and BlueSkies™ development and marketing team.
For more information, please contact Keven Gambold at [email protected].
What started as a moment is now a full-fledged movement.
From West 7th to the AllianceTexas Mobility Innovation Zone (MIZ), from Hollywood productions to Wall Street relocations, Fort Worth–Dallas has emerged as the epicenter of American innovation, entrepreneurship, and enduring values.
Nowhere was that more evident than at the recent Forward Fort Worth 2025 Summit at the iconic Hotel Drover. Innovation and ambition took center stage as Hillwood, AllianceTexas, and the City of Fort Worth convened a powerhouse lineup of investors, entrepreneurs, and supply chain leaders from across Texas and the nation.
The headline conversation—a candid exchange between Ross Perot Jr. and former U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy—captured it perfectly: we’re not waiting for someone else to define the future. We’re building it, right here.
That’s Cowboy Capitalism in action.
It’s bold, pragmatic, and purpose-driven. It’s capitalism with a backbone and a soul—rooted in faith, family, and freedom, yet unafraid to bet big on what’s next.
Our pioneers didn’t wait for permission. They took risks, built legacies, and shared prosperity. That same spirit lives on today—not just in how we do business, but in how we cultivate leadership, empower communities, and create long-term value.
It’s also the product of smart policy and visionary leadership.
That’s why major employers and high-growth startups are choosing Fort Worth–Dallas as their home. We’re setting the pace in logistics, aerospace, AI, energy innovation, and defense—and attracting capital and partnerships from across the globe.
- MP Materials is producing up to 1,000 metric tons of magnets annually to power smartphones, EVs, and reduce our reliance on foreign rare earths.
- Bell Textron is investing over half a billion dollars to build next-generation military aircraft—bringing 500 high-paying jobs with it.
- Siemens, praised by Governor Abbott, is expanding its operations to meet surging demand from data centers nationwide.
Venture and private equity capital is pouring in at record levels. Just five years ago, North Texas saw $500 million in venture funding annually. Today, that number exceeds $1.4 billion—and rising. We’re quickly becoming The Capital of Capital, and we’re just getting started.
It’s not just business that’s booming—it’s leadership.
Mayor Mattie Parker and a new generation of civic-minded leaders are ensuring that growth is anchored in values and built to last. Texas A&M’s bold expansion into downtown Fort Worth is just the latest signal that our region is investing in its future from the ground up.
Even the financial markets are taking note. The Texas Stock Exchange (TXSE), Nasdaq, and NYSE are planting roots in our region. The reasons are obvious:
- Fort Worth is now the 10th largest city in America.
- Fort Worth–Dallas is on track to surpass Chicago as the nation’s third-largest region by 2030.
- 24 Fortune 500 companies call North Texas home.
And when Professional Bull Riding (PBR) moves its headquarters to Fort Worth, the message is clear: we’re at the center of the Texas Miracle—and Cowboy Capitalism is leading the charge.
This is what happens when individuals, families, and businesses are given the right environment to flourish.
The legacy of Sid Richardson, Amon Carter, Charles Tandy, and Ross Perot Jr. laid the foundation. Today, a new generation of investors, builders, and visionaries are carrying the torch forward.
Cowboy Capitalism isn’t a relic of the past. It’s a model for the future and a blueprint for the nation.
The momentum is real—and it’s only getting stronger.
Now here’s an innovative way to fly cargo across the country: by hitching a ride with a plane that’s going your way.
That’s the idea behind Aerocart, an automated towed cargo glider from Southlake-based Aerolane. The company’s solution may look futuristic, but it’s actually based on the same principles the 82nd Airborne used to tow cargo and soldiers into France on D-Day in World War II.
This week, Aerolane announced that it’s opening a flight operations headquarters at Perot Field Fort Worth Alliance Airport. It’s slated to be “a critical testing ground” for Aerolane’s ongoing FAA Supplemental Type Certification process, with a mission of helping the startup launch its first Aerocart cargo glider system for commercial service “later this year.”
“We’re excited to locate our flight operations headquarters at AllianceTexas,” Aerolane Co-Founder and CEO Todd Graetz said in a statement. “It’s a great privilege to operate in one of the nation’s most critical intermodal cargo hubs.”
Leveraging patented technology
Aerolane’s patented Aerocart technology is being built into a series of autonomous towed cargo glider systems “that boost the capacity of existing planes while requiring only a marginally higher fuel burn,” the startup said. To date, the company has flown a range of prototype Aerocarts across “a wide swath” of Texas and Florida since 2022.
The company notes that aviation is entering its second century. Its proposition for what’s next?
“We make it affordable, ubiquitous and clean.”
To achieve that, Aerolane says it started with one big question: Is it possible to enable the capabilites and speed of air at the cost of ground transportation?
Aerocart, it says, is the answer. The company says its autonomous cargo glider “instantly boosts the payload capacity of any flight—with minimal fuel requirements.” A key Aerolane goal is to transform airline asset and crew productivity and network agility, while leading the industry in overall cost savings.
Perot Field is a key part of The MIZ
The world’s first industrial airport, Perot Field offers a wide array of flight services, including air cargo, corporate, and government aviation. It’s the cornerstone of Dallas-based Hillwood’s 27,000-acre AllianceTexas development.
And Aerolane’s pursuit of FAA certification seems to have landed in the ideal place: The airport was born out of a collaboration between Hillwood, the city of Fort Worth, and the FAA itself.
Perot Field is also a key part of the AllianceTexas Mobility Innovation Zone (The MIZ). The MIZ is a testing and proving ground for all kinds of next-gen aviation solutions, from delivery drones to electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft and more.
“We’re excited to welcome Aerolane as an operator at Perot Field and the AllianceTexas Mobility Innovation Zone, where they can scale and commercialize logistics innovation in one of the world’s most unique multimodal transportation environments,” Christopher Ash, SVP of aviation business development for Hillwood, said in a statement. “At Hillwood, our focus continues to be on bringing innovative supply chain technologies to North Texas while providing next-level amenities to our customers.”
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Hillwood recently hosted its fourth annual Forward Fort Worth mobility innovation summit, bringing together more than 150 supply chain executives, entrepreneurs, and investors from around the world. The event focused on advancing and commercializing mobility innovation across the supply chain, reinforcing North Texas as a premier hub for next-generation logistics and transportation technology.
The AllianceTexas Mobility Innovation Zone (MIZ) continues to drive collaboration at the intersection of supply chain technology, autonomy, and advanced infrastructure. As the 12th largest city in the U.S., Fort Worth stands at a critical crossroads of commerce, boasting one of the nation’s top freight markets—an ideal environment for pioneering mobility solutions.
“Forward Fort Worth is more than just a summit—it’s about building real connections that lead to action,” said Ian Kinne, Director of Logistics Innovation at Hillwood. “Over two days, we brought together some of the sharpest minds in mobility and logistics to share ideas and take meaningful steps toward innovation that drives real impact—for businesses and communities alike. At Hillwood, innovation isn’t just a buzzword—it’s at the heart of what we do, and we’re proud to help shape the future alongside so many forward-thinking partners.”
A Dynamic Lineup of Thought Leaders and Industry Experts
The summit opened with remarks from Mike Berry, President of Hillwood, at Hotel Drover in Mule Alley. Day two featured Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker and a keynote fireside chat between Kevin McCarthy, 55th Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, and Ross Perot, Jr., Chairman of The Perot Group & Hillwood.
The event’s panel discussions explored critical topics shaping the future of logistics and mobility, including:
- Off-Road Autonomy: Building supply chain efficiency today, preparing for tomorrow
- Reimagining Logistics: Game-changing technologies transforming the industry
- Port Innovation: Adapting to a changing landscape
- Investment Strategies: The intersection of defense and supply chain innovation
- Autonomous Trucking: The business case for scalable adoption
Industry leaders from Apex Advisors, BNSF Railway, Forterra, PepsiCo, Aerolane, UPS Flight Forward, Radia, Inc., Lynxis, IMC Companies, Hapag-Lloyd AG, Fort Worth Economic Development Partnership, NewRoad Capital Partners, UP Partners, Trousdale Ventures, The Road to Autonomy, Uber Freight, FedEx, and Torc Robotics shared insights on cutting-edge advancements and strategic investments shaping the future of mobility.
The Future of Mobility Innovation is Here
With a strong foundation of public-private partnerships, a rapidly expanding technology ecosystem, and access to a robust logistics network, the AllianceTexas Mobility Innovation Zone remains a catalyst for real-world deployment and commercialization of mobility solutions.
‘There’s a real technology revolution going on inside the industrial space,’ Hillwood’s Perot says
Georgia-based Southwire, a cable and wire company, is settling into its 1.2 million-square-foot distribution center in AllianceTexas as the company feeds off the boom in data center development.
Southwire Co. LLC has been operating in the building for about four months, said Rich Stinson, president and CEO. The facility is expected to eventually employ about 250 people.
Last year, Southwire leased the building at 14800 Blue Mound Road in Haslet. It’s part of the massive Alliance campus developed by Hillwood.
Stinson said his business — which he called the biggest wire and cable company in North America, with 2023 revenue of about $8 billion — decided to move into AllianceTexas because of its central location and a great relationship working with Hillwood.
“Fort Worth gets us to the Midwest, gets us to the West Coast, gets us all through Texas, so we can cover half the country from here,” Stinson said.
Stinson sees a big opportunity in data centers, which he said will make up 6% of all electricity used next year. DFW is a major data center hub in its own right, accounting for about one-tenth of the primary U.S. data center market. He also cited the transition to 5G and new, high-tech factories in the U.S. as good business opportunities.
Southwire employs 9,500 people total. Stinson said the company invested $1.6 billion over the last four years and plans to invest $4.6 billion more, not including acquisitions, over the years few years. He said another DFW location for Southwire could land in Denton, where the company has another facility and owns more land, but nothing is final.
“So a very real scenario will be that we do build stuff right next to our other plant, and we’ll have sister plants,” Stinson said. “I mean, that is probably going to happen, but I’m not going to commit to that.”
Hillwood has gotten very good at catering to the evolving needs of industrial tenants. The high ceilings of Southwire’s new building are indicative of companies wanting higher inventory systems, which are increasingly being operated by robots and drones.
Ross Perot Jr., founder and chairman of Hillwood, said proximity to the BNSF Alliance Intermodal facility is also important for companies such as Southwire. He said Hillwood is going to implement autonomous trucking from the rail yards to the new building and construct a private bridge for the vehicles so they don’t have to use public roads.
“There’s a real technology revolution going on inside the industrial space that most people, if you’re not in the business, you don’t comprehend,” he said.
Despite a slower industrial market, Hillwood is continuing to construct large buildings, and announced in May a 3.5 million-square-foot space called Alliance Westport 14. Perot said there are a lot of buildings under construction that are almost leased and another wave of development is ahead. He said he was just about to approve the next million-square-foot speculative building.
Perot said AllianceTexas, with around 30 million square feet of inventory, is half developed. Currently, more than 560 firms are based there and about 70,000 people each day work in Alliance.
“We build to demand,” Perot said. “If our clients want buildings, they’re going to get buildings and even if the [interest] rates are higher, we will get a building through the system.”
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Wing and Zipline have partnered with Walmart to offer drone deliveries for “up to 75%” of DFW residents, along with providing services for other area businesses. Now the two innovators have received the first-ever FAA approval to operate drones beyond line of sight in the same shared airspace using new UAS traffic management technology (UTM).
Marking a first in U.S. aviation history, the Federal Aviation Administration has authorized Wing Aviation and Zipline International to fly commercial drones in the same Dallas-area airspace without visual observers.
In typical operations, a drone pilot must be able to see the aircraft at all times, the FAA said in a blog posted on Medium. But beginning in early 2023, Wing and Zipline began testing a new system called UAS traffic management technology, or UTM (UAS is short for unmanned aircraft systems.) The testing was initially done via simulations.
UTM leverages new advancements in air traffic technology and procedures that the FAA says could one day make Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) flights “routine.”
The FAA authorizations will allow Wing and Zipline to deliver packages in the Dallas area while keeping their drones safely separated using the UTM system—managing the airspace themselves with “rigorous FAA safety oversight.”
“This is the first time the FAA has recognized a third-party to safely manage drone-to-drone interactions,” Praveen Raju, a program manager in the FAA’s NextGen Office, said in the blog post. “As always, safety comes first, and we required exhaustive research and testing before giving the green light.”
Dallas Innovates has been following the rise of drone deliveries in North Texas for years.
A lot of initial testing happened at Hillwood’s AllianceTexas Flight Test Center in Fort Worth in what’s known as the Mobility Innovation Zone (The MIZ), where advanced testing continues to this day.
In October 2021, Wing Aviation—Alphabet’s drone delivery sister company—launched a first-of-its-kind commercial drone service in a major U.S. metro out of Frisco Station north of Dallas. That same month, Wing began making on-demand deliveries from Walgreens drug stores in Little Elm and Frisco.
In March 2022, Israel-based Flytrex began delivering chicken wings by drone from a Chili’s restaurant in Granbury in a partnership with Dallas-based Brinker International. In flights that averaged 3 minutes 30 seconds, wings zoom over Lake Granbury, pause above their destination, and are lowered to the ground in a bright yellow bag, while the drone hovers 80 feet above.
In December 2022, Walmart began drone deliveries from 11 Dallas-area stores via a partnership with the company DroneUp. The drone hubs included Dallas, Garland, Mesquite, Murphy, Plano, Richardson, Rowlett, and The Colony.
In August 2023, Walmart said it was partnering with Wing to expand its drone delivery service in Dallas-Fort Worth by adding services to two area superstores.
In October 2023, Ireland-based Manna Drone Delivery kicked off its U.S. commercial operations from The Miz in Fort Worth, with drones that fly at 60 miles per hour at a height of around 200 feet. The first deliveries were food, beverages, and Halloween candy to residents of Hillwood’s Pecan Square development at the north end of the AllianceTexas MIZ.
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