Northlake, Texas – November 20, 2024 — Manna Drone Delivery, Wing, ANRA Technologies, and the Arlington Police Department operated side-by-side in the same airspace last week, performing drone deliveries and drone-as-first-responder operations. The showcase took place at Pecan Square in AllianceTexas, a Hillwood residential community.
As part of the GUTMA Harmonized Skies 2024 conference, a global group representing over 30 regulators, Air Navigation Service Providers (ANSPs), and numerous members of industry observed strategic drone coordination firsthand.
The implementation of strategic coordination leverages UAS Traffic Management (UTM) to digitally coordinate uncrewed aircraft flights within shared airspace. It is a key step toward routine scaled Beyond Visual Line-of-Sight (BVLOS) flights in drone operations.
This event also marked the first time public safety and commercial drone operators shared airspace powered by multiple UTM systems when Arlington Police flew using ANRA’s service – another step towards ensuring safe and efficient drone operations.
This global showcase follows a milestone earlier this summer which marked the first-ever instance of multiple companies operating drones in shared airspace, leveraging NASA’s initial UTM framework and a public-private partnership between the FAA and industry to create an implementation that safely and efficiently coordinates UAS air traffic in real-time.
The implementation, known as the US UTM Implementation, is an ongoing open, standards-based forum for drone operators and UTM service providers. Identified as an effective means of coordination given the significant activity around complex BVLOS drone operations in the North Texas area and leveraging GUTMA’s efforts around governance and data sharing and the InterUSS Platform’s open-source automated testing suite for interoperability, the implementation is rooted in a deep understanding of how to efficiently support scaled drone operations nationally.
“It’s incredible to be part of this historic moment, leading the charge alongside our partners,” said Andrew Patton, Head of US at Manna. “This demonstration proves that UTM, a simple and scalable approach to low-altitude traffic deconfliction, is here and ready to support drone operations. We’re just getting started in revolutionizing delivery networks, making them faster, safer, and more adaptable.”
Hillwood, a Perot Company, welcomed these groundbreaking operations at a shared site. Hillwood, the developer of AllianceTexas, a 27,000-acre mixed-use, master-planned community and home to the Mobility Innovation Zone, is committed to convening the most advanced companies in future mobility to enable real-world operations that will inform the future of logistics.
“We’re excited to work alongside leaders in drone operations at the AllianceTexas Mobility Innovation Zone, where they can expand and commercialize drone delivery in one of the world’s most distinctive settings,” said Christopher Ash, senior vice president of aviation business development for Hillwood. “At Hillwood, our team is working together to introduce innovative supply chain technologies to North Texas and offer top-tier amenities to the communities we serve.”
The momentum around UTM represents a major step forward in integrating drones into the US national airspace system. It promises to provide a safe, fast, sustainable, and scalable solution to last-mile delivery and opportunities for public safety operators to serve their communities better.
About Manna Drone Delivery
Manna is the largest and most advanced drone delivery operator, on a mission to improve the world by making lightning-fast suburban deliveries affordable, green, and safe. Our service operates in the highest population density of any drone delivery operation in the world. We partner with a range of businesses, from global giants to local businesses, delivering a wide variety of goods to customers in just a few minutes. For more information, visit www.manna.aero/
About ANRA Technologies
ANRA is a world-leading provider of airspace and mission management solutions for uncrewed and crewed operations. Specializing in advanced air mobility, drone operations, and UAS Traffic Management (UTM), ANRA empowers enterprises and government agencies with scalable, integrated platforms. For more information, please visit www.flyanra.com
About Hillwood and AllianceTexas
Hillwood Properties, based in Fort Worth, is a premier real estate developer specializing in industrial-logistics, corporate office, and retail mixed-use development, as well as airport and property management. With a commitment to excellence and innovation, Hillwood has established a reputation for quality development that drives economic growth for communities throughout North Texas. Signature developments include AllianceTexas, Circle T Ranch, and Frisco Station. To date, Hillwood Properties has developed and acquired 31 million square feet of industrial, 3.2 million square feet of retail and office, and over 4,000 multifamily units. For more information on Hillwood Properties’ flagship development, AllianceTexas, please visit www.alliancetexas.com.
The AllianceTexas Mobility Innovation Zone (MIZ) spans the 27,000-acre industrial-focused, public-private ecosystem that brings policymakers and industry innovators together to propel surface and air mobility forward. By leveraging its one-of-a-kind infrastructure, the MIZ offers unparalleled resources to comprehensively scale and commercialize the latest logistics and mobility technologies. For more information on the AllianceTexas MIZ, visit www.alliancetexasmiz.com.