Wing bets $125M on Texas factory to mass-produce delivery drones

Wing Aviation is putting $125 million into a new delivery drone factory in Fort Worth, Texas. The 15,000-square-foot plant is expected to create up to 100 jobs and, once running, turn out tens of thousands of delivery drones a year — a step the Alphabet unit says will speed up its push into new markets. The money also covers research and development teams in California and investment in the communities where Wing operates.

Wing's drones currently fly in five U.S. cities, with plans to add 14 more markets soon. The company wants its service reachable by more than 40 million Americans by 2027. Walmart is a key partner: last month the retailer said Wing deliveries would be available at more than 270 stores. Overseas, Wing teamed with Tokyo-based internet provider KDDI to bring drone deliveries to Japanese consumers in 2027.

The aircraft itself is an unusual build. Wing's drones have a wingspan of about 4.9 feet and sit on a frame of styrofoam — mostly trapped air — reinforced with carbon fibers, which keeps them light and water-resistant in rough weather. Sixteen electric rotors push them to speeds of up to 60 miles per hour. Store workers clip merchandise to a tether; the drone reels it in until the package touches the frame, then descends to 20 feet at the customer's home and lowers the parcel.

Much of the coordination runs on autopilot. Wing built software that picks the best drone for each run, maps its flight path and keeps it clear of other aircraft, while human safety teams watch for weather and air traffic shifts that force a replan.

Competition is already crowding in. Amazon said in August it plans to bring Prime Air to nearly 500 U.S. markets by the end of the year, and drone delivery startup Zipline International recently raised $1.5 billion at a $21.5 billion valuation.