Wing to Build Texas Drone Factory With Up to $125 Million Investment
Alphabet-owned delivery drone company Wing will invest up to $125 million over two years in a Fort Worth, Texas factory. It can build tens of thousands of aircraft a year for a Walmart network.
Wing, the Alphabet-owned drone delivery company, said on Friday it will invest up to $125 million over the next two years in a drone factory in Fort Worth, Texas. The company says the plant will employ up to 100 people and can build tens of thousands of aircraft a year. It will produce next-generation delivery drones for Walmart, the US retail chain, whose network is contracted to reach more than 270 stores by 2027.
What is known about the plant
The facility covers about 15,000 square feet, roughly a quarter of a football field. The dollar figure is an "up to" amount, and Wing's announcement also mentions unspecified spending on research and engineering in California. It gives no split between the two, and no street address, production start date or name for the new aircraft. The Dallas Morning News, citing a statement made on Wing's behalf, reported that the Fort Worth operation opened earlier this year, while Wing calls it its newest facility. The Texas governor's office had posted no incentive announcement by Friday evening.
Wing CEO Adam Woodworth said in the announcement that the US is the company's focus for growth.
Background
The news came one day after Zipline, Walmart's other drone partner, raised $1.5 billion at a $21.5 billion valuation and agreed with Walmart on 300 more sites. Zipline's funds are also partly earmarked for US manufacturing. Both companies already fly Walmart orders in the Dallas-Fort Worth metro area.
Wing says it serves more than 70 sites, has made more than one million US home deliveries this year and plans to reach 40 million Americans across nearly 20 metro areas by 2027. It has flown from Walmart stores in Fort Worth since June 2024; the Fort Worth Report counts 19 local Walmart locations.
The US Federal Aviation Administration's Part 108 rule, which would make routine flights beyond the operator's line of sight legal, has been in White House review since July 10 and remains unsigned. Wing's announcement cites its upcoming release as the trigger for expansion. The 2025 draft ties acceptance of foreign-built aircraft to a bilateral agreement with the country of origin.
