Michigan takes to the skies with multi-million dollar drone investment

(The Center Square) – Michigan invested more than $6 million toward researching drone technology across the state.

Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist announced four different Advanced Aerial Mobility projects will receive a total of $6.25 million in funding. BETA Technologies, Michigan Central, Skyports and Traverse Connect are all recipients of the drone research money.

“These investments create high-tech jobs, grow cutting-edge businesses, and enhance quality of life for our residents,” Gilchrist said. “These innovative advancements will elevate the way our companies operate, making air transportation more efficient and changing the way we move both people and cargo. Michigan is committed to leading the future of technological innovation and unleashing the innovative spirit that defines our state.”

The research is funded by taxpayer dollars from the AAM Activation Fund, which is a collaboration between the Michigan Department of Transportation, the Office of Future Mobility and Electrification and the Michigan Economic Development Corporation.

BETA Technologies will receive $2.6 million, the largest investment, to install multimodal chargers at four different airports. Locations include Cherry Capital Airport, Capital Region International Airport (LAN), West Michigan Regional Airport and Willow Run Airport. BETA is based out of Burlington, Vermont, with a goal of making aerial shipping cleaner and more efficient. They have worked with UPS, Air New Zealand and the U.S. Department of Defense.

Michigan Central, Ford Motor Co.'s self-described innovation district in Detroit, will receive $2.4 million. The funding will be used to expand the Advanced Aerial Mobility Region, a 3-mile radius on the property used to test commercial drone development. The main purpose will be to test moving supplies between local factories.

Skyports Drone Services, a long-range delivery company, will receive $512,168. The project is a “ship-to-shore” delivery service along the ports of Sault Ste Marie and Detour Village.

Traverse Connect will receive $689,500 to research delivering medical supplies to rural regions. The economic group will also use the funding for marine surveying.

“Michiganders have always been pioneers in the mobility space and now we’re taking to the skies, finding new ways to use next-generation transportation to deliver critical resources like medical supplies and food, reinforcing international partnerships and cross-border collaboration, and so much more,” Michigan Chief Mobility Officer Justine Johnson said.

Michigan started its AAM program in 2023, as the Federal Aviation Administration began establishing clearer regulations for commercial drone use. The future of delivery drones has only expanded this year, with companies like Amazon given the okay to expand its drone program in April.