Arlington is testing a food assistance program using drones and delivery robots
The city and its staff plan to use the drone to transport approximately 300 boxes of food to customers of the Tarrant Area Food Bank in East Arlington.
In Arlington, Texas, some residents will have the option to receive food delivery via drone or four-wheeled robot as part of a pilot initiative starting this fall.
City officials announced that as part of the investigation, the city and its employees will use an Aerialoop drone and a Clevon autonomous vehicle to distribute approximately 300 boxes of food to customers of the Tarrant Area Food Bank, in east Arlington.
The initiative, supported by a $780,000 grant from the Department of Energy and approximately $820,000 from partner organizations, aims to assess the feasibility of autonomous delivery of essentials such as food on a larger scale.
Arlington partners with the Tarrant Area Food Bank, the University of Texas at Arlington (UTA), the North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG), the Dallas-Fort Worth Clean Cities Coalition (hosted at NCTCOG), and Airspace Link, Aerialoop and Clevon for this program.
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According to Arlington’s website, the goal of the two-year study is to evaluate the use of zero- or low-emission unmanned aircraft and small four-wheeled robots to distribute essential food products to people who face mobility issues, historical disadvantages or a lack of reliable information. transport.
During the first year, city officials will participate in community activities, determine delivery locations, formulate a draft plan for the operations and conduct the first of two demonstrations.
The first event is scheduled for this fall and the second event is scheduled for spring 2025, as stated on the city’s website.
Each demonstration lasts two to four weeks and is dedicated to evaluating the technology and performance of drones and autonomous vans for delivering packages to homes.
The ultimate goal of the program is to compile a comprehensive report documenting findings, lessons learned, and recommendations.
Arlington was chosen as one of 45 grantees nationwide in the Department of Energy’s Office of Vehicle Technologies competitive grant program.
The program aims to allocate funds to promote research, development, demonstration and implementation of projects aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the transportation sector.
