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The recently established airspace connects U-M’s autonomous testing ground with Detroit’s innovation hub

A flight pathway for the testing of drones and electric aircraft will connect the University of Michigan’s unique research and assessment facilities in Ann Arbor with Michigan Central’s practical urban testing area and innovation district in Detroit.

Declared today by Governor Gretchen Whitmer, the approximately 40-mile research aerial route will serve as the core of M-Air, a novel public-private collaboration U-M is initiating for advanced air mobility. M-Air will integrate with the existing public-private venture Mcity, which offers a connected and automated vehicle testing ground under the U-M Transportation Research Institute.

The state of Michigan is allocating $1 million in foundational support for M-Air as a component of a wider advanced air mobility strategy.

“The upcoming frontier of transportation is transitioning from land to air, where drones and electric aerial vehicles can revolutionize the movement of people and goods. Michigan Engineering’s M-Air collaboration will significantly contribute to establishing the state as a national leader in advanced aviation technology while cultivating the workforce necessary for its sustainability,” stated Karen Thole, the Robert J. Vlasic Dean of Engineering and a professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering.

The M-Air public-private collaboration

M-Air will empower advanced air mobility researchers and firms to evaluate their technologies in realistic settings, focusing particularly on the beyond-line-of-sight capabilities of autonomous aircraft, as well as electric aircraft utilizing vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL), like helicopters. Current regulations confine most drones to the range visible to the naked eye of a pilot, which diminishes their utility. Both drones and electric VTOLs have been recognized as national priorities in a recent White House executive order.

“This is an exhilarating era in aerospace as we see the convergence of electric powertrains, distributed-propulsion aircraft designs, and autonomous functionality. There is significant crossover of talent and technology between electric and automated vehicles as well as electric aircraft and drones,” remarked Venkat Viswanathan, director of M-Air and an associate professor of aerospace engineering.

“Drones are already being utilized in agriculture, insurance, and infrastructure oversight. As the technology matures, drones hold the promise of being the most cost-effective and swiftest means of transporting goods. M-Air will work to address technical challenges and regulatory queries enabling advanced aircraft to reach their full potential.”

The initiative is backed by the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC), with infrastructure support from the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT). It will expand upon the Mcity test facility, which offers physical, remote, mixed-reality, and fully simulated environments for assessing connected and automated vehicles. In addition to establishing and overseeing ground testing facilities, Mcity will manage access to the flight corridor in collaboration with MDOT and Michigan Central.

“MDOT remains committed to its mission of connecting individuals and serving communities across all transport modes, and we’re particularly eager to explore the safe integration of this innovative aviation technology as an additional mobility option for Michigan’s residents,” stated Bryan Budds, director of the MDOT Office of Aeronautics. “Moreover, we are keen to collaborate with the University of Michigan and local communities along the corridor to guarantee the careful deployment of this technology in the region.”

M-Air corridor and ‘iron bird’

M-Air’s recently developed “iron bird” testing facilities will enable users to validate the flight capabilities of new batteries and motors on the ground before conducting airborne trials. The aerial corridor will be equipped with a drone traffic management system that complies with national safety standards.

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standards, allowing drones to utilize low-altitude airspace even outside the operator’s sight. It will also facilitate swarm operations testing, with various drones collaborating on a common goal.

The corridor will extend through U-M Dearborn, granting access to the cutting-edge facility to faculty and students at another U-M campus.

At its opposite endpoint, Michigan Central serves as a business incubator centered on advanced mobility, aiding start-ups and small enterprises that may gain from convenient access to flight testing. It’s also the home of the Advanced Aerial Innovation Region, which emphasizes the development of commercial drones.

“M-Air is Michigan’s launching pad for the upcoming wave of autonomous aviation,” remarked Ben Marchionna, chief innovation ecosystem officer at the MEDC. “It provides researchers and entrepreneurs a real-world airspace testing environment to safely engage, learn rapidly, and prepare hardware to drive Michigan’s next generation of pioneering industries. That’s the ‘Make It in Michigan’ promise: invent it, construct it, and expand it—without leaving the state.”

One method that U-M plans to employ M-Air is to enhance Michigan Medicine’s Survival Flight service, which transports patients and organs for transplantation. Currently, helicopters could utilize drone detection systems to avert collisions should drones enter restricted airspace. In the future, Survival Flight might employ electric aircraft or smaller, lighter drones to convey organs and medications.

“As an air medical team, Survival Flight takes pride in supporting the launch of M-Air, which bolsters Michigan’s position in advanced mobility and fosters a future where every second saved can potentially save a life. By facilitating real-world testing of beyond-line-of-sight and VTOL capabilities, M-Air will assist in ensuring the safe and efficient integration of drones into crucial response operations,” stated Donna Robinson, director of Survival Flight.

Among its educational programs, M-Air will engage in the Perot Jain TechLab series, enabling students to collaborate with entrepreneurs. This is just one of the avenues through which it will help incubate, attract, and nurture aerospace startups while enhancing student experiential learning from K-12 through graduate education.

M-Air is currently finalizing its initial industry members. Participants of M-Air will play a crucial role in shaping the initial research trajectories, as well as the development of the testing facilities and corridor, identifying applications, and collaborating on grant submissions.

In addition to the $1 million from MEDC’s Office of Future Mobility and Electrification, U-M will also contribute $1 million.

Previously, the name M-Air was associated with a netted outdoor drone testing area near the aerospace engineering and robotics departments. That facility will now be referred to as M-Air Net.

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