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
Shrikar Chonkar
1mo
This was such a treat to see in-person Matt! The passion and the vision from you and the team reflects in the setup you have at the ops center and launchpads. Excited to see the future!
Real-world testing captures interference patterns and environmental variables impossible to model. Michigan Central's integrated sensor network and operations center create the testing rigor commercial aviation demands before scaled deployment.