Why go door to door trick or treating, when the candy can come to you? You might say, “Going door to door is the fun part.” But an Irish company is showing that candy from the skies has a fun of its own—and it chose that method to launch its U.S. operations, right here in North Texas.

Dublin-based Manna Drone Delivery is kicking off its U.S. commercial operations from the  AllianceTexas Mobility Innovation Zone in Fort Worth, where other drone delivery startups like Google’s sister company Wing have done their own flight testing before launching local operations.

Founded in 2018, Manna is one of the world’s leading drone delivery companies, with over 100,000 customer air drops made in Ireland alone. According to Forbes, the company aims to make over 1,000 deliveries per day in individual dense urban areas, beginning this past summer with Dublin.

For now, Manna is making North Texas deliveries in only one neighborhood: Pecan Square by Hillwood Communities in Northlake, a suburb north of Fort Worth. Residents there have the opportunity to order “a range of food and beverages from both national and local retailers—including a wide selection of Halloween chocolates and candies,” Manna said.

Manna Drone Delivery dropping a package at a home in Pecan Square, a Hillwood community in Mansfield, north of Fort Worth.[Photo: Manna Drone Delivery]

“After over four years of operations and over 150,000 flights logged in Europe, we’re excited to be touching down in the United States to offer the residents of Dallas-Fort Worth a lightning-quick and sustainable home delivery service,” Andrew Patton, head of U.S. for Manna, said in a statement.

“We’re taking Halloween to new heights, with a fun new way for kids to trick or treat,” he added, “especially when the weather isn’t very Halloween compatible.”

Manna Aero drones fly at 60 MPH

The Manna Aero drone is now making deliveries in Pecan Square, a Hillwood Community in Northlake, Texas. [Photo: Manna Drone Delivery]

Once an order is placed, Manna Aero drones take off from a Manna delivery hub and fly at 60 miles per hour at a height of around 200 feet, the company says. The drone then partially descends before lowering its package on a tether to the customer’s yard below. 

Christopher Ash, SVP of aviation business development for Dallas-based Hillwood—the company behind Alliance and The MIZ—says his company is “excited to see Manna commercialize drone delivery in the U.Sl at the AllianceTexas Mobility Innovation Zone, bringing an innovative last-mile delivery solution to Pecan Square residents.”

“At Hillwood, we’re a team collaborating to bring innovative supply chain technologies to North Texas and provide next-level amenities to the communities we reach,” Ash added in a statement.

Customers can use Manna’s app to purchase items for drone delivery. [Photo: Manna Drone Delivery]

Manna said its drone deliveries will be available on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays to members of the Pecan Square community. Products and sweet treats from local retailers Farmhouse Coffee & Treasures and The Touring Chocolatier, along with some national brands, will be available for purchase.

In an additional charitable effort, Manna says it’s partnering with the Tarrant Area Food Bank, which serves nearly 1 million meals a week to residents in North Texas, by making a donation for every flight conducted this year.

[Photo: Manna Drone Delivery]

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