These are the kinds of use cases that a new unmanned aerial systems (UAS) feasibility study will explore. The effort is a collective project among Michigan; Ontario, Canada; and private-sector partners to create a “mobility corridor” between the United States and Canada to examine commercial use cases for drones put in operation beyond the visual line of sight. The project involves a feasibility study to review three locations for the development of a “commercial drone skyway,” according to a press release from the Michigan Economic Development Corp.
“This is us saying, if we’re going to be a global mobility leader, we’ve got to be able to lead across various types of mobility,” said Trevor Pawl, chief mobility officer in the state of Michigan, which resides within the Office of Future Mobility and Electrification (OFME).
“To start that, we want to be smart,” he added. “And that’s why we’re starting the feasibility study, and we’re doing it with our partners in Ontario.”
Other project partners include the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT), the Michigan Aeronautics Commission (MAC) and the Ontario Vehicle Innovation Network (OVIN). Private-sector partners include Ford Motor Company and Airspace Link, a provider of data services and application software for the drone industry.
Airspace Link will aid in helping the state determine infrastructure and facility requirements, among other issues, said Casie Ocaña, vice president of marketing at Airspace Link.
"The main focus of the study is to determine the best way to integrate advanced beyond-visual-line-of-sight operations safely into the airspace as well as into the local communities so that all different types of user groups will benefit,” said Ocaña.
Some of the tangible uses to be explored include just-in-time delivery, organ transport and the movement of critical manufacturing components.
“A part the size of a quarter that breaks on a machine can cost the business hundreds of thousands of dollars every 30 minutes it’s down. And in that case, a drone may be the most efficient way to deliver it,” said Pawl.
Being at the forefront of developing drone technology is part of Michigan’s aim to be a leader in all forms of mobility, said Pawl. The state has proven to be a leader in the development of electric vehicles and autonomous technologies.
“On a fundamental level we believe that the future of mobility is multimodal,” he remarked. “And we think that we can leverage our traditional automotive advantages, and the talent we have here.”
Also, drones are sure to be yet another player in the rapidly evolving delivery ecosystem.
“We think this study is the best way to unlock the value for companies like Amazon, and FedEx and UPS, and other companies,” said Pawl. “This is Michigan essentially answering the call.”
