Advanced air mobility

Advanced air mobility

Advanced air mobility (AAM) is an innovative concept that aims to transform transportation by integrating new, highly automated aircraft into existing airspace. These aircraft are designed to move people and cargo between places previously underserved by traditional transportation methods. AAM envisions a future where air travel is more accessible, efficient, and sustainable, offering a potential solution to traffic congestion and environmental concerns.

To facilitate the advancement of emerging aviation technologies in Michigan, the Office of Aeronautics is promoting safe and efficient standards for new aviation facilities, advocating for policy changes to streamline operations, and serving as an educational leader in the AAM space. Our goal is to create sustainability within our communities by encouraging emerging technologies to benefit all citizens, promote mobility, and spur economic growth.

Advanced Aerial Mobility Activation Fund

The AAM Activation Fund aims to create a centralized pipeline of projects that have the potential to validate technical and economic feasibility of key AAM use cases, generate critical data that can be used to inform policy making, and accelerate AAM readiness and growth in Michigan.

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AAM Activation Fund project highlights

These projects are helping Michigan achieve our AAM goals.

Skyports

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.

Michigan Central AAIR

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.

BETA Charging Stations

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.

Traverse Connect

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 uncrewed aerial 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.