Birdstop

Michigan has more FIRST Robotics Competition teams (531) than California and Texas combined (477). These are the engineers who will build the next generation of the American industrial base. For Birdstop, that talent pipeline is a primary reason we are building in Detroit. The Birdstop team spent last Wednesday evening with Michigan student robotics teams, one of the deepest talent pipelines in the country. Detroit did not just shape the last century of American manufacturing, it has also been a cradle of invention in the arts. We were thrilled to see the Belleville Three - the inventors of Techno (yes, Detroit invented Techno) - stroll in and speak with the students. We all look forward to seeing how the creative and the technical sides of Detroit converge as it redefines what American manufacturing looks like in the age of software and AI. Motor City Alliance Nishant Dixit #MadeInMichigan #Detroit #Robotics #Autonomy #AmericanManufacturing

That is a wrap on Xponential 2026, the largest drone and autonomy conference in the world, now with over 10,000 attendees. This year, Xponential was hosted in Detroit as Michigan cements its position as the capital of the American drone industry. Thank you to AUVSI — Association for Uncrewed Vehicle Systems International for putting together a week that brought the entire autonomy industry to Detroit, and to our conference partners at Michigan Economic Development Corporation and Automation Alley. You may have seen Fealty at one of our 2 booths, in flight at the Detroit Smart Parking Lab, or on display at Xponential Underground. If you did not get a chance to see Fealty in action during Xponential, there are a few more chances coming up: ➡️ Holly Oaks Off Road Vehicle Park, May 21 https://lnkd.in/eHChV6WP ➡️ ITS America, June 9 to 12 https://lnkd.in/eS59TBDY ➡️ Reindustrialize, June 16 and 17 https://lnkd.in/gmuRYvPs ➡️Michigan Chiefs of Police Summer Development Conference, June 22 https://lnkd.in/dVyyB5Ra #MadeInMichigan #Xponential #DroneTech #Autonomy

See Fealty put to the test at Holly Oaks Off Road Vehicle Park this Thursday. Dust, vibration, weather, off-road, no power, no infrastructure. The systems our customers need are the ones that hold up where the work actually happens. First responders and critical infrastructure operators cannot guarantee clear skies or paved roads. If you are interested in seeing a drone that performs where the road ends, come find us at Holly Oaks. Thursday, May 21, 11AM - 2PM, Holly Oaks Off Road Vehicle Park. Sign up here: https://lnkd.in/eHChV6WP #OffRoadTested #MadeInMichigan #DroneTech

Xponential Underground raised the bar for drone parties. Kudos to Airspace Link, Inc. for getting the industry together, and to Firefly Drone Shows, whose drone show lit up Michigan Central. Detroit gave a glimpse of how it’s becoming the center of the American drone industry. Great to celebrate autonomy in the 313 alongside figures making it happen. Justine Johnson, Jessica Robinson, Kevin Mull, Jim Saber, Keith Miao, Mike Bucci, Sophie Schaffer, Marc Miller #Autonomy #XponentialUnderground #AUVSI #MichiganCentral #MadeInMichigan

At the XPONENTIAL Show this week, Birdstop CEO Keith Miao and VP of Engineering Jatin Kolekar shared perspectives at the FCC Covered List and UAS Supply Chain workshop. Following the FCC’s December 2025 actions banning foreign drones and components, the UAS industry is going through one of the most tectonics shifts it has ever seen. The UAS supply chain is being remade in America in real time. Building this supply chain is not without challenges, but workshops like this help the industry come together, compare notes, and chart a stronger path forward. Look out for Birdstop across XPONENTIAL in Detroit this week. You can find our teammates and drone systems in person at the Automation Alley Pavilion, the Michigan Pavilion, DSPL, and Michigan Central. https://lnkd.in/e6zTDHfc #AUVSI #Xponential #AmericanManufacturing #BuiltInDetroit #DroneSupplyChain

This week thousands of stakeholders across the advanced aerial mobility ecosystem, from startups, to corporates, and government partners, will head to Detroit for the XPONENTIAL Show, organized by AUVSI — Association for Uncrewed Vehicle Systems International. There is perhaps no other ecosystem in the United States better positioned to foster the growth of the drone and advanced aerial mobility industry quite like Michigan. A 120+ year old industrial legacy built on engineering and manufacturing expertise. An unrivaled, proximate network of suppliers with with the capacity to prototype and bring new products to life. A community of policy makers and companies focused on the future of transportation. Michigan Central, alongside partners like Newlab, the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, and others, have created a nationally-leading program in the Advanced Aerial Innovation Region (AAIR) that provides a ready-to-go platform with airspace and infrastructure to test and deploy drones right here in Detroit. AAIR is already working with industry leaders like Airspace Link, Inc., Birdstop, blueflite, Airspace Experience Technologies (ASX), Skyports Infrastructure, and ResilienX. Learn more about how Michigan is positioning itself as the drone capital of the U.S. in the The New York Times here: https://lnkd.in/gyi4WDCu

Detroit is becoming a drone capital, and it's happening because city leaders are getting hands-on with the technology themselves. Last week, members of Mayor Mary Sheffield's administration spent the afternoon at Birdstop HQ. Thank you to Marlo Rencher, PhD, Chief of Neighborhood Economic Development and Small Business, and Ryan Michael, Deputy Chief of Business Innovation and Emerging Industries, for backing the technicians and pilots who are manufacturing the next generation of American drones. The future of American manufacturing is being built in Detroit. #AmericanMade #BuiltInDetroit #AmericanManufacturing #Autonomy #DroneTech

Birdstop has begun monitoring the first of many trucking sites in Detroit using AI-powered drone technology. The initiative is being carried out in partnership with TSPS, Inc., a Detroit-based expert in truck parking and lot management to advance mobility solutions. America runs on the trucking system. Working with TSPS, Birdstop is using autonomous drone technology to help secure and modernize the network that moves billions of dollars in goods every day. Funded through the Michigan Mobility Funding Platform and administered by NextEnergy in partnership with MI Office of Future Mobility and Electrification and Michigan Economic Development Corporation, this project showcases how Michigan is deploying emerging technologies. Visit our website to read the full details. #Birdstop #DroneTechnology #AutonomousDrones #AITechnology #MobilityInnovation

Detroit put the world on wheels, and now, we’re helping it take to the skies. The New York Times just spotlighted Detroit’s rapid ascent as a new epicenter of the U.S. drone industry, and Michigan Central is incredibly proud to be at the heart of this movement. We’re building a launchpad for the future of mobility, and aerial is a big part of that future. From the advanced drone operations center to the world-class prototyping labs and miles of testing zones, we are giving innovators the infrastructure they need to build, test, and scale, right here in Detroit. When you combine Detroit's unmatched manufacturing legacy with cutting-edge aerial tech, we’re reaching new heights—it's just the beginning. Be part of what we’re building-- https://lnkd.in/gUGfmue4 Newlab blueflite Birdstop Airspace Link, Inc.

You can’t build the future of advanced aerial mobility in a field or simulator alone. You have to test it in the real world. The New York Times recently highlighted the drone boom happening in Detroit, and I’m thrilled to see the infrastructure we’ve built at Michigan Central being recognized. We’ve outfitted the district with drone sensors, radar, and purpose built launchpads, while turning a floor of The Station’s tower into a state-of-the-art drone operations center. We’ve partnered with MDOT to create the Advanced Aerial Innovation Region to accelerate commercial drone development. This allows companies like blueflite to test in a complex, real-world urban environment. As the article notes, testing here allows operators to catch and correct real-world variables, like cellular tower interference, that you can't replicate in a lab. We are building the physical and digital platform for the next era of mobility. It takes a massive amount of coordination, world-class tech, and a willingness to push boundaries. And we are doing it all right here in Detroit. Check out the full piece in the NYT: https://lnkd.in/eCRb5bQN Michigan Central, Airspace Link, Inc., Birdstop, Keith Miao, Andrew Zeimen, James McClearen, Frank Noppel, Michael Healander #UAV #DroneTech #UrbanAirMobility #SmartCities #MichiganCentral #DetroitTech