If it feels like all the drone delivery companies you’ve heard of are operating in Texas, your feeling is right. Texas may be the Lone Star State to most Americans. But to us, it’s also the Drone Star State.

Six of the top commercial drone delivery companies in operation today have either test projects or full customer services somewhere in Texas:  Wing, Flytrex, Amazon, Manna, Zipline & DroneUp.

In fact, I just got back from a trip to Dallas to check out Wing’s drone delivery operations myself. You’ll have to stay tuned until next week to hear about my adventures getting my first ever, real drone delivery. But for now, consider this an ode to Texas.

Here’s are a few reasons why Texas might be the very best place to launch not just any drone company, but in particular a drone delivery company:

1. Topography and climate

Though many delivery drones still operate in most types of rain (extreme stores excluded), Texas’s relatively mild climate makes it a more viable place to conduct drone deliveries. It’s also pretty flat with few natural barriers like tall trees or hills.

2. Public acceptance

For drone deliveries to grow, the public has to actually want it. The majority do — and the rate of Texans keen on drone delivery is higher than the general U.S. population.

According to a survey of 5,000 U.S. respondents, 64% of respondents from Texas said they are willing to use drone delivery. That’s higher than the interest coming out of residents from other nearby states. For example, 63% of North Carolina residents said they’d use drone delivery. Meanwhile, just 57% of Florida residents and 58% of Georgia residents said they were into it.

3. Favorable legislation and government buy-in

Perhaps the most critical factor of them all in dubbing Texas the Drone Star State? Government buy-in, allowing programs like multiple drone flights at once, drones flying beyond visual line of sight and more.

In fact, Dallas is the first place in the entire world where drone delivery companies have been able to fly within the same city limits. That’s critical in progressing drone delivery from nifty science fair-esque test to viable operations. It’s all made possible due to a system of air traffic control for drones, formally referred to as “UTM” or unmanned traffic management.

UTM supports Texas drone deliveries

Texas drone deliveries are made possible due to unmanned traffic management systems. For the Texas UTM system, both the Federal Aviation Administration and NASA worked with the drone delivery companies to implement a set of ‘rules of the road.’

After all, with multiple aircraft, each different company has to operationalize how they coordinate their delivery routes so they can safely share the airspace. As far as U.S. drone deliveries go, Texas is the first place we’ve ever seen such a robust UTM system.

The FAA-approved UTM service operates as a digital data exchange. It’s really not exclusive at all. In fact, any operator in the area can join. When they join in, they can share where they intend to fly. From there, they can confirm their flight doesn’t conflict with another flight.

It’s still relatively new, with initial flights using UTM services having launched in August 2024. But more authorizations are coming to the Dallas area soon.

While UTM has huge implications for package deliveries, it will also allow drones to scale in other verticals such as public safety applications and infrastructure mapping or inspections.

4. Walmart

Texas and Walmart go together like brisket and BBQ sauce. And one reason alone for drone delivery success has to do with one of the biggest corporations there is: Walmart.

Walmart partners with a handful of drone delivery companies, which include Wing (the drone delivery arm of Alphabet) and Zipline (largely considered the world’s largest drone delivery company). Walmart also works with smaller players like DroneUp, which it made a significant investment in.

Walmart runs drone deliveries out of a handful of stores, and it’s list is growing to a point that one day could include most Walmart stores. In Texas alone, Walmart operates about 500 Walmart Supercenters and about 600 retail units as a whole (a figure that encompasses other outposts like discount stores and Neighborhood Markets, too).

Though Walmart has operated in other states, it’s seen some big wins in Texas. In fact, DroneUp had so much trouble scaling that — not only did it lay off about 17% of its staff — it closed its other drone delivery hubs in Phoenix, Salt Lake City and Tampa.

Though DroneUp has had some trouble scaling, forcing it to lay off staff and cease operations in other states. But even though DroneUp has struggled to find success in other states, it’s still — perhaps not coincidently — operating in Texas.

Walmart now offers drone delivery as a built-in customer service through the official Walmart app.

Of course, Walmart is hardly the only retailer interested in drone deliveries. For example, Walgreens has also worked with Wing out of Frisco, Texas.

What’s ahead for drone deliveries in Texas?

With a functional UTM system in place, Texas drone deliveries are able to grow. According to the players involved in the Walmart tests, an estimated 75% of the Dallas-Fort Worth metro will have access to drone delivery by the end of 2024 via Walmart alone. 

And of course, rising tides lift all boats. In the drone delivery realm, success for one player, say delivery companies like Wing, or retailers themselves like Walmart, largely means success for others. And it’s more than just drone delivery. Advancements in other drone use cases can help propel drone delivery forward.

Now drone deliveries aren’t the only reason why we should call Texas the Drone Star State. Texas also happens to be a hotbed for all sorts of other drone activity. With a robust oil and gas industry, drones play a key role in inspecting Texas’ pipelines. For example, DJI worked with Shell on an inspection project down in Houston. Meanwhile, AT&T, which is based in Dallas, has gotten into drones. For example, its 5G Innovation Studio has ben leaning on drones.

Then don’t forget about drone light shows. One of my favorite American drone light show companies, Sky Elements, is based in Texas. Though they put on drone shows pretty much anywhere, one of their highlights was in Texas itself: the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo.

Here’s a look at that fun Houston Rodeo drone show:

So what do you think? Is Texas the Drone Star State?

The post Drone Star State: why Texas is hot on drone deliveries appeared first on The Drone Girl.