Lieutenant Governor Gilchrist announced that four projects will receive $6.25 million in total funding to scale critical AAM infrastructure and deploy pilots that will generate operational data to validate the commercial potential of key AAM use cases and help inform the state’s AAM policy. The funding will be provided through the AAM Activation Fund, a collaborative effort between the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT), the Office of Future Mobility and Electrification (OFME) and the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) which aims to increase coordination across State entities and create a centralized pipeline of projects that can accelerate AAM readiness and growth in the state.
“Advanced air mobility is an incredible economic opportunity for the state of Michigan,” said Lt. Governor Garlin Gilchrist II. “These investments create high-tech jobs, grow cutting-edge businesses, and enhance quality of life for our residents. 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 four projects receiving funding include:
BETA Technologies ($2.6 million – Various locations)
BETA will install multimodal chargers at Cherry Capital Airport (TVC), Capital Region International Airport (LAN), West Michigan Regional Airport (BIV) and Willow Run Airport (YIP) to create a foundational intrastate charging network to support operations of next generation aircrafts and drive down costs for regional transportation operators.
Michigan Central ($2,450,000 – Detroit)
Michigan Central will scale digital and physical infrastructure to expand the capabilities of Advanced Aerial Mobility Region (AAIR) and launch a series of pilots in partnership with Newlab across use cases including building inspection for energy efficiency, middle mile movement of goods between manufacturing facilities, and movement of critical supplies on hospital campuses aimed at generating techno-economic data to accelerate the adoption of beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) UAS operations.
Skyports ($512,168 – Various Locations)
Skyports will launch three proofs of concept with commercial partners, starting with ship-to-shore drone delivery services in Sault Ste Marie, MI and Detour Village, MI in partnership with Interlake Steamships, the operator of the largest privately held U.S.-flag fleet on the Great Lakes. The ship-to-shore pilot will validate the potential of drones to be used as an efficient delivery solution that can reduce emissions from anchored vessels and optimize maritime logistics in the Great Lakes.
Traverse Connect ($689,500 – Traverse City and the greater Grand Traverse region)
Traverse Connect, in partnership with Munson Healthcare, DroneUp, blueflite, Northwestern Michigan College, Central Michigan University’s Rural Health Equity Institute, and Freshwater Research Innovation Center will test and scale the use of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) for use cases including delivery of medical supplies and other critical healthcare services to improve rural health outcomes. They will also test drones for use cases including marine surveying, water sampling and testing, bathymetric mapping, and emergency response support around the Lake Michigan area.
“The Michigan Department of Transportation continues to take bold steps in advanced aerial mobility infrastructure to drive innovation across Michigan,” said State Transportation Director Bradley C. Wieferich. “This new investment complements the state’s strategy to find safe and cost-efficient ways to capitalize on a robust network of aviation infrastructure serving Michiganders today.”
“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,” said Michigan Chief Mobility Officer Justine Johnson. “The first round of AAM Activation Fund recipients will help ensure that Michigan stays at the forefront of high-tech aerial mobility solutions, diversifying our state’s mobility stake.”
About Grant Recipients
Beta Technologies
BETA Technologies is an electric aviation company based in Burlington, Vermont. Founded in 2017, the company is changing the paradigm of how we transport goods and people by making aviation cleaner, more efficient, and safer. To do this, BETA has developed and is producing all-electric, net-zero aircraft; is deploying a multimodal and interoperable charging network across the U.S.; and is creating programs to train next-generation pilots and maintainers. BETA customers include leading global operators and government agencies, including: UPS, Air New Zealand, United Therapeutics, LCI, Bristow, Blade, Helijet, and the U.S. Department of Defense.
Traverse Connect
As a regional economic development organization, Traverse Connect is dedicated to supporting and advancing the economic vitality of Traverse City and the surrounding northwest Michigan region. Traverse Connect provides resources, networking opportunities and advocacy for local businesses, fostering a collaborative environment to drive economic growth, while focusing on talent development, community engagement and promoting the region as an ideal location for businesses.
Michigan Central
Michigan Central, the newly-developed, forward-thinking mobility innovation district in Detroit, is dedicated to transforming the future of transportation and urban mobility. Developed by Ford Motor Company, it serves as a hub for research, development and collaboration among leading technology companies, startups and academic institutions, and aims to address complex mobility challenges by fostering innovation in autonomous vehicles, electric transportation and smart infrastructure.
Skyports
Skyports Drone Services (Skyports) is a global drone services provider offering cargo deliveries and inspection services to its customers. Skyports are experts in operating long-range autonomous flights in complex environments, including deliveries to rural and hard-to-reach areas, medical facilities, offshore energy installations, and maritime environments. Skyports takes care of the drones, technology, regulations, and pilots, enabling its customers to benefit from faster, safer, and more sustainable operations while unlocking new capabilities. For more information: https://skyportsdroneservices.com/
