The Michigan Mobility Funding Platform (MMFP) has awarded MightyFly in San Francisco a $150,000 grant to demonstrate autonomous, fixed-wing electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft cargo deliveries of 100 pounds of cargo in the state of Michigan.
This is expected to be the first public demonstration of its kind.
During the demonstration flights, which will be conducted with the support of the Michigan Office of Future Mobility and Electrification (OFME), MightyFly will attempt to showcase the capabilities of its third-generation autonomous cargo aircraft with 100 pounds of cargo capacity.
The eVTOLs are engineered to be capable of carrying up to 212 small USPS packages. MightyFly’s express delivery systems are designed to bring new logistics opportunities to businesses and set a precedent in the world’s aviation and logistics industries.
The logistics needs of Michigan’s manufacturing, automotive, retail, chemical, and pharmaceutical industries offer will allow for MightyFly to demonstrate a new way to ship products, parts, and various goods.
MightyFly’s one-shot business-to-business (B2B) delivery services could provide cost savings for just-in-time manufacturing lines, timely deliveries of crucial shipments for medical treatments, and quick replacements of fast-moving consumer goods to retailers, among other delivery scenarios.
The MMFP grant program is managed by the OFME and is part of a statewide strategy to help Michigan be a global leader in the future of mobility. The program was launched by the Michigan Economic Development Corp. and the Michigan Department of Transportation to develop new mobility solutions.
The OFME has previously partnered with the Michigan Unmanned Aerial Systems Consortium to facilitate testing of autonomous aircraft in Michigan. The OFME works across state government, regulators, and private industry to build an ecosystem of partners capable of leading the adoption and use of transformative mobility solutions like that of MightyFly.
“We know the future of mobility is more than just vehicles — it is on air, land, and sea,” says Charlie Tyson, technology activation manager for OFME. “Michigan is uniquely positioned to support testing, development, and deployment of new technologies that will lead to more affordable, accessible transportation solutions and we are excited to support MightyFly through the MMFP program and their continued efforts to grow in Michigan.”
Manal Habib, CEO of MightyFly, says: “We are excited to be the first large, autonomous, fixed wing eVTOL cargo delivery company to demonstrate how autonomous aerial expedited logistics solutions will better serve Michiganders. This demonstration will be the first steppingstone for the efficient flow of goods across the world, making it possible for everyone to access reliable and affordable same-day deliveries. We will be making history.”
