A new pilot program in Arlington is testing high-tech, low-emission food delivery to support underserved communities while improving air quality.

The Multimodal Delivery Demonstration Project, funded by a $780,000 U.S. Department of Energy grant, uses electric autonomous vehicles—including drones and four-wheeled robots—to deliver groceries to residents in East Arlington who face mobility or transportation challenges.

The two-year study began in 2024 and is led by a coalition of partners including the City of Arlington, Tarrant Area Food Bank, University of Texas at Arlington, North Central Texas Council of Governments, Dallas-Fort Worth Clean Cities Coalition, Airspace Link, Aerialoop, and Clevon.

Drones powered by Aerialoop transport food to drop-off hubs, where autonomous ground vehicles from Clevon complete the final leg to individual homes. The system is managed through Airspace Link’s AirHub Portal, which maps safe, low-impact routes away from busy streets and residential zones.

An initial demo in September 2024 delivered 139 boxes of food. The current phase, running through May 2025, is evaluating energy efficiency, air quality outcomes and community response. Project leaders say the pilot could serve as a model for zero-emission delivery to food-insecure neighborhoods across North Texas and beyond.

For more information, visit arlingtontx.gov.