Overview
- Florida Polytechnic University revealed a piloted Jetson ONE called Astro and said its university police department will integrate the aircraft into campus operations pending final FAA clearance.
- The university is presenting Astro as a tool for faster access to hard-to-reach areas, post-storm damage assessment, and quick delivery of emergency supplies to students and staff.
- Florida Poly says its police department is the first U.S. law-enforcement agency to adopt a manned eVTOL for operational use, a claim the school publicly announced when it unveiled the aircraft.
- Astro will also serve as a hands-on laboratory for Florida Poly’s new aerospace engineering program, with students and faculty planning to analyze real-time flight data and use it in capstone projects.
- The project gained industry and regional support when Jetson fast-tracked the university’s order and state AAM efforts such as the FAA integration pilot program and nearby SunTrax test track set the stage for local eVTOL testing.