Wing Will Build Delivery Drones in Fort Worth, Investing Up to $125 Million and Adding Up to 100 Jobs

Wing plans to manufacture delivery drones in Fort Worth as it expands its service across the country. It has not announced when the factory will open.

Wing, the drone delivery company that started inside Google parent Alphabet, said Friday it will invest up to $125 million over the next two years in direct manufacturing at a 15,000-square-foot plant in Fort Worth, according to the company's announcement. Wing said the plant will create up to 100 manufacturing jobs and will have the capacity to build "tens of thousands of aircraft each year" to support its expansion across the country.

"Drone delivery has become a global reality, driven by clear demand from our partners and their customers," Wing CEO Adam Woodworth said. "The U.S. is our focus for growth, and by investing in the future of drone delivery here, we are continuing to advance American aviation innovation as we build our commercial momentum."

What Wing did and did not say

The announcement is short, and it leaves several things out. Wing did not give an opening date, a production target or a description of the next-generation aircraft it plans to build. "Tens of thousands" is a statement of capacity, not a promise of output. Wing also did not say whether any state or local incentives are involved, and the announcement does not mention any.

The company said its investment of up to $125 million is for "direct manufacturing" in Fort Worth. It also said it is investing in research and engineering in California and in the communities where it operates, without giving a figure for either.

Why Texas

Fort Worth is where Wing's Walmart partnership took off in Texas. The Fort Worth Report reported that Wing started local delivery in June 2024 from the Walmart at 8520 N. Beach St. and now serves from 19 local Walmart stores, including two in North Richland Hills. Walmart also contracts with Zipline for North Texas deliveries, the Report noted.

The Report said Wing operates at nearly 70 Walmart locations and has completed more than 1 million home deliveries this year. It reported that the partnership will expand to more than 270 stores, with new service planned in San Diego, Memphis, New Orleans, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Salt Lake City and the San Francisco Bay Area.

"Our work with Walmart has shown that drone delivery isn't just a novelty, it's a service many customers count on multiple times per week," Heather Rivera, Wing's chief business officer, said in the Report's account.

Wing's own post says it serves major metros from more than 70 sites and plans to reach more than 40 million Americans across nearly 20 U.S. markets by 2027.

A federal rule in Wing's plans

Wing tied the investment to what it called "the upcoming release" of the Federal Aviation Administration's Beyond Visual Line of Sight rule, which would set the framework for drones flying beyond an operator's sight. That is Wing's description of the rule's timing; this report does not independently establish the current federal rulemaking status.

Wing also noted its history: it began in 2012 at X, Alphabet's so-called Moonshot Factory, and in 2019 earned the nation's first Part 135 air carrier certificate for drone operations.

What it means for Texas

Up to 100 manufacturing jobs would be welcome news for Fort Worth. The investment deserves a fair hearing, but the announcement is a plan, not a completed factory or a guarantee that every projected job will materialize. Manufacturing helped lead October's state sales tax gains; our report on Texas Sales Tax Revenue Jumped 13% in October to $4.8 Billion. Construction and Manufacturing Led the Way has the numbers.

It also raises fair questions Texans should keep asking. Drones over neighborhoods bring real concerns about noise, privacy and safety, and a factory that can build tens of thousands of them is a sign more are coming. Policymakers should address those concerns within their lawful authority; this announcement does not settle how federal, state and local responsibilities divide. Neighbors have a right to quiet enjoyment of their homes, and innovation does not cancel that.

The Bible honors honest work done well. "Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings," Proverbs 22:29 says. A Fort Worth plant that puts Texans to work building something new is good news. Whether it becomes great news depends on Wing delivering what it announced, and on Texans holding the line on the rules that protect the homes those drones fly over.