The proposed drone airport can be positioned close to the Walmart Neighborhood Market at Parkwood Square off Custer Road.
PLANO, Texas — This story initially appeared within the Dallas Business Journal, a WFAA news companion. To learn extra native enterprise and actual property news, go to their website.
A drone-delivery firm eyes Plano as one of many first hubs as it embarks on an growth throughout North Texas.
DroneUp, which has backing from Walmart (NYSE: WMT), just lately approached Plano metropolis officers about including a three-story tower to help business drone supply operations, in accordance with metropolis paperwork. The Virginia-based firm introduced earlier this 12 months it plans to open a minimum of three hubs in the Dallas area.
“We’re always examining the best opportunities for local citizens to realize the benefits of drone technology and part of this is taking a look at the most logical places where the infrastructure could support it,” DroneUp spokesman Patrick Santucci mentioned. “The Plano, Texas area is an area we are exploring.”
The proposed drone airport can be positioned close to the Walmart Neighborhood Market at Parkwood Square off Custer Road.
As a results of DroneUp’s request, Plano officers at the moment are contemplating making adjustments to town’s zoning ordinance to account for business supply drones. During a briefing earlier this month, members of the Plano Planning and Zoning Commission expressed considerations about noise and flight paths.
“I see this as a perfect example of the camel getting his nose just under the edge of the tent,” Commissioner Arthur Stone mentioned.
The fee didn’t make any speedy selections and as an alternative directed workers to collect extra information in preparation for drafting an ordinance. The commissioners made it clear they need to preserve management over the place drone operations might happen by requiring firms to hunt particular use permits, relatively than permitting drones as an adjunct use at current retail places.
“We need to retain control of where drones can and cannot go,” Stone mentioned.
David Downs, chairman of the fee, mentioned he desires to design the “best-possible ordinance” so it doesn’t have to change it a few years later and can be utilized as a mannequin for different municipalities throughout Texas.
City Planner Glenn Greer instructed the fee that DroneUp intends to broaden throughout the Metroplex into Richardson, Dallas, Garland, Mesquite and Murphy along with Plano.
The Dallas-Fort Worth space has been getting more attention with drone deliveries. Wing – which is a part of Google dad or mum Alphabet (Nasdaq: GOOG) has partnered with Walgreens and selected the Dallas area as its first main metro for the service, particularly in Frisco and Little Elm.
Frisco, Little Elm and Granbury have all allowed using business drone supply of their communities. Frisco required a website plan overview for the non permanent operations however has in any other case not established any laws. Little Elm considers the use as an adjunct use to the retail retailer. Granbury has categorised the use as a “kiosk” however has not adopted any use-specific laws.
Santucci instructed the Dallas Business Journal that DroneUp has acquired “great feedback” from native communities the place it has opened its first supply hubs, particularly in northwest Arkansas.
“We’re excited to continue on our mission of opening more locations so people can see first-hand the many positives that drone technology can offer,” Santucci mentioned.
Walmart’s mentioned earlier this 12 months it expects its “DroneUp delivery network” to achieve 4 million U.S. households by the tip of the 12 months in states together with Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Utah and Utah, together with Texas.
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