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DETROIT, May 11, 2026 – Advanced aerial mobility is transforming how cities operate, with Michigan Central at the forefront of innovation in the field, creating a blueprint for responsibly integrating aerial mobility into everyday life. Michigan Central’s AAIR spans 28 square miles of dense urban environment and is a turn-key solution for testing and scaling new drone technologies into market-ready solutions. It provides the infrastructure, airspace access, and regulatory coordination needed to move drone technology from concept to real-world deployment.

“Michigan Central brings a level of collaboration between operators, regulators, and industry partners that completely revolutionizes the pace at which drone and robotics companies can develop and scale,” said Matt Whitaker, Director of Mobility Innovation Platform at Michigan Central. “The physical and digital infrastructure of the AAIR, combined with our regulatory support, allows new technologies to get into the air, quickly and effectively. This ultimately creates a pathway for commercialization unlike anywhere else, and seeing the energy at events like XPONENTIAL only further validates what we are building in Detroit.”

Since its launch in 2023, AAIR has facilitated more than 1,200 drone flights focused on data and delivery, totaling more than 160 hours or flight time, and secured 7+ BVLOS waivers for advanced aerial operations including Beyond Visual Line of Sight flight.

AAIR blends 28 square miles of dense, urban testing ground with the infrastructure and network necessary for drone and robotics companies to develop, deploy, test and scale:

  • Prototyping and Fabrication: As part of the Michigan Central innovation district, 18,000 sf of on-site facility space at Newlab Detroit offers large-scale 3D printers, CO2 laser cutters, woodworking space with CNC routers and bandsaws, LPFK lasers, thermal cameras, MIG and TIG welders, CNC fiber laser, tube rollers, Flexarm Tapping Arm, Hexagon Probe Arm, vacuum and finishing chambers and an additional 10,000 sf of manufacturing transitional space.
  • Launch and Landing Pads: 900 sf of shared-access drone launch space on the Newlab at Michigan Central rooftop, and a half-acre controlled environment for scaled sUAS drone operations.
  • AAIR Operations Center: for testing and monitoring drones in real-time, it incorporates a multi-screen matrix video wall and 360-degree VLOS. Its software integration includes digital systems to support ground based detect-and-avoid radars, ADS-B and remoteID powered by Airspace Link. remoteID brings real-time airspace risk assessment, traffic management, digital mapping and drone management capabilities.
  • Transportation Innovation Zone: Four square miles with access to fast-tracked permitting to test and pilot solutions in the public right-of-way.
  • Regulatory Guidance: Critical real-world data from more than 1,200 flights is shared with policymakers to provide real insight related to noise, safety and airspace management. In turn, this is used to modernize and shape local regulation and provide ongoing funding opportunities through the State’s Advanced Aerial Mobility Fund.
  • Startup Engagement: The AAIR is part of a broader Michigan Central ecosystem that includes startups, Fortune 500 companies, universities, government agencies, creatives, investors and non-profits providing access to federal authorization processes, state coordination, municipal permitting and private sector technical support.
  • Workforce Training: Robust adult training and youth workforce development programs in partnership with local universities designed to create classroom-to-career pathways to embed youth into the startups operating from within the Michigan Central ecosystem. To date, the program has helped more than 20 students secure remote pilot certification, including and 18-year old who was the operator for Detroit’s longest 2.3 mile BVLOS drone delivery to date.

Throughout the week, Michigan Central will have a strong presence at XPONENTIAL, including exhibition space and speaking engagements, to demonstrate how its ecosystem is creating a framework to inform and accelerate drone utilization across the nation. You can find us at the Michigan Pavilion or join us at the AUVSI Underground – the local chapter event hosted on May 13 at Michigan Central.

Additionally, Michigan Central’s Director of Mobility Innovation, Matt Whitaker will be part of a panel discussion titled, Beyond Single Solutions: Building Integrated Tech Stacks for Urban Drone Operations Management on May 13. To learn more about Michigan Central’s Advanced Aerial Innovation Region, or to become a part of our growing platform, please visit: michigancentral.com/advanced-aerial-innovation-region/

Contact: Tom Goulding, Michigan Central, tom.goulding@michigancentral.com