ARLINGTON, Texas — The Tarrant Area Food Bank (TAFB), in a collaborative effort with the City of Arlington and the University of Texas at Arlington (UTA), has successfully concluded a pioneering two-year research project testing the use of aerial and terrestrial drones to deliver food to residents in need. This innovative initiative, known as the Multimodal Delivery pilot program, is poised to reshape the “last-mile” logistics of charitable food distribution while promoting environmental sustainability.
The core goal of the project, which was funded by a $780,182 grant from the U.S. Department of Energy, was to evaluate whether electric, autonomous delivery vehicles could effectively reduce greenhouse gas emissions while simultaneously improving food accessibility for mobility-challenged, low-income, or historically disadvantaged residents.
The Logistics of Drone Food Delivery
The experiment, which ran two main demonstration pilots in September 2024 and May 2025, successfully served approximately 300 households in East Arlington. The delivery process utilized a combination of technology partners:
- Airborne Leg (Middle Mile): Deliveries began at a TAFB distribution center. Boxes containing about nine pounds of non-perishable food (rice, beans, canned goods) were loaded onto six-foot-long, battery-powered aerial drones provided by Aerialoop. The drones stuck to airspace over city parks, flying the packages about one mile to a designated staging area.
- Ground Leg (Last Mile): At the staging area, the food was transferred to electric, autonomous terrestrial drones (four-wheeled robots) provided by Clevon and Mozee. These land robots traveled the last mile to residential homes, sending a text message notification upon arrival. Residents then used a code sent via text to unlock a locker on the robot and retrieve their food package.
Stephen Raeside, Chief External Affairs Officer at Tarrant Area Food Bank, noted the success: “The clients were thrilled to participate in something so innovative and cool, and it worked really well from a technical aspect.”
Future Applications and Environmental Benefits
The success of the pilot demonstrates a clear path for future food distribution models. TAFB sees distinct roles for both vehicle types:
- Land Drones are ideal for high-density areas, such as delivering to low-income apartment complexes.
- Aerial Drones are better suited for rural populations that lack close proximity to traditional food pantries, potentially allowing for 24/7 distribution operations.
By taking traditional gas or diesel delivery trucks off the road and using these smaller, electric vehicles, the project aimed to show significant improvements in energy use, air quality, and congestion.
UTA played a critical role throughout the project, with the Institute of Urban Studies assisting in community engagement and public outreach. Faculty and students from the engineering department helped with the technical aspects, including modeling logistics and assessing risks. The university is currently compiling a comprehensive final report to evaluate the impact, cost-benefit analysis, and participant feedback, which will be shared with other municipalities looking to implement similar solutions.
Despite regulatory hurdles, particularly with Federal Aviation Administration restrictions on flying private drones over multiple jurisdictions, the overall enthusiasm remains high. The project serves as a model for how autonomous technology can increase efficiency and accessibility for vulnerable populations, helping TAFB overcome the logistical challenge of serving 13 counties across 10,000 square miles.
