Texas

News, deep dives, and analysis — every Texas story, newest first.

214

Articles

Beats covered

Reporters on beat

Sep 21

Last updated

Texas drone news covers border and cartel security concerns, the state’s outsized role in commercial drone delivery, and police and industry activity, tracked apart from the general United States desk given how much drone news concentrates here.

Cartel drone activity has made counter-drone authority a real policy fight: Texas wants counter-drone power, but only 61 US officers nationwide are currently certified to use it, a gap between what the state wants and what federal certification currently allows. Detection technology is advancing separately: AT&T is turning its 5G towers into drone radar using existing network infrastructure rather than dedicated counter-drone hardware.

Texas is also one of the most active states for commercial drone delivery. Zipline’s Walmart drone parachuted a package into Greenville, Texas, landing feet from a parked truck, part of a broader Walmart delivery network expansion across the state.

Industrial investment is following. Saronic is planning a $3 billion Texas shipyard for drone ships, and League City police plan to fly BRINC 911 drones by December. Every Texas drone story is in the feed below.

Key facts

What this covers: Drone news across Texas: cartel and border security concerns, commercial delivery expansion, and police and industry activity
The security gap: Texas wants counter-drone authority for cartel activity, but only 61 US officers nationwide are currently certified to use it
Delivery leader: Texas is one of the most active states for commercial drone delivery, with both Walmart and Zipline expanding service there

Start here

Texas Wants Counter-Drone Power. Only 61 US Officers Are Certified. — August 18, 2026
Saronic Plans $3 Billion Texas Shipyard For Drone Ships — July 25, 2026
Zipline Walmart Drone Parachutes Into Greenville, Texas Street, Landing Feet From A Parked Truck — July 27, 2026

Last updated September 21, 2026 — the feed below updates with every new story.

Amazon Prime Air MK30 delivery drone hovering low over an open green field at sunset

Texas · Amazon

Amazon Drones Overwhelm Texas Suburb, NYT Says. FAA Signed Off In July

The New York Times counted 52 Amazon drones over one Richardson yard in a day. The FAA ruled that noise not significant in July. Here is the paper trail.

Haye KestelooSep 215 min read

Flytrex delivery drone approaching its rooftop docking station at a Capriotti's Sandwich Shop

Drone Delivery

Flytrex Puts Drones on Roofs Before You Order, Cutting Costs 60%

Flytrex will preposition delivery drones on restaurant rooftops using predictive AI, claiming a 60% cut in cost per delivery and half the wait time.

Haye KestelooSep 16

A Zipline Platform 2 delivery aircraft docked beneath a charging tower at dusk, tail number 124 on its fuselage, with the delivery pod and its fiducial docking targets suspended below and a windsock on the hillside behind.

FAA

Zipline Asks FAA For 220,000 Texas Drone Deliveries A Day

The FAA's draft environmental assessment for Zipline covers Houston, San Antonio, Austin, Amarillo and El Paso. Public comments close October 11.

Haye KestelooSep 15

Zipline

Zipline Taught Its Drones to Dive for Speed, and They Got Quieter

A Zipline software update has its drones dive to build speed and climb to brake. Here is why gravity makes them faster, quieter and cooler.

Haye KestelooSep 11

Pilot Institute's Greg presents the DroneXL weekly drone news update, week 382

DJI

Zipline Drone Comes Down Under Parachute Near Houston, TSA Delays Part 108 Security Talks, and FCC Proposal Draws 3,829 Comments

Welcome to your weekly UAS news update. We have three stories for you this week: a Zipline drone has a mishap near Houston, a Part 108 progress update from the TSA and OIRA, and the FCC gets over 3,800 comments on its military-grade drone proposal. Let's get to it.

Greg ReverdiauSep 11

Four Swarmer engineers in black company shirts assemble quadcopter drones on a crowded workbench in a small blue-walled workshop

Ukraine

Erik Prince's Swarmer Buys Ukraine's Ratel Robotics for Up to $224M

Nasdaq-listed Swarmer, chaired by Blackwater founder Erik Prince, is buying Ukraine's Ratel Robotics for up to $224 million, mostly in stock.

Haye KestelooSep 10

Amazon

Amazon Says Quieter Than a Truck. Its FAA Filing Says 92 Decibels

Amazon told Baton Rouge its delivery drones beat an idling truck. Its own FAA noise filing puts the delivery hover at 92.1 decibels.

Haye KestelooSep 9

A brilliant point of light with cross-shaped flare burns above a nighttime city skyline as an Army high-energy laser engages a small drone.

Counter-Drone

Army's $3-a-Shot Laser Cuts Cartel Drone Flights 75%, Military Says

Military officials say cartel drone flights over the Rio Grande Valley fell about 75% after an Army laser began downing them. The baseline is undisclosed.

Haye KestelooSep 7

Frequently asked questions

Why is counter-drone capability such a live issue in Texas specifically?

Cartel drone activity along the border has made counter-drone authority a priority for Texas law enforcement, but the state is running into a national bottleneck: Texas wants that power, and only 61 US officers are currently certified to legally operate counter-drone equipment.

How active is drone delivery in Texas?

Very. Zipline's Walmart delivery service parachuted a package into Greenville, Texas, landing feet from a parked truck, and the state hosts some of the most visible real-world delivery testing anywhere in the country, alongside broader Walmart drone network expansion.

What other kinds of drone stories come out of Texas beyond cartels and delivery?

Industrial and defense investment shows up too. Saronic is planning a $3 billion Texas shipyard for drone ships, and League City police plan to fly BRINC 911 drones by December, both signs of Texas drone activity extending well past border security.

Texas

Key facts

Start here

Frequently asked questions

The drone industry moves fast. Stay ahead of it.