Governor Gretchen Whitmer has signed a new executive order establishing the Michigan Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) Initiative.
This statewide strategy is designed to expand AAM capabilities, ensure the safe and efficient integration of these technologies across both public and private sectors, and position Michigan’s workforce, infrastructure and manufacturing base as national assets in the AAM ecosystem.
Executive Directive 2025-X outlines a coordinated approach across state government to support AAM innovation and deployment. The Office of Future Mobility and Electrification (OFME) will lead the initiative in collaboration with the Michigan Department of Transportation, Michigan Economic Development Corporation, Michigan Aeronautics Commission and several other agencies. Each department will contribute strategies to help grow Michigan’s role as a hub for advanced aerial mobility.
Gov. Whitmer said, “Michigan has long been the center of American mobility innovation. Today, advanced air mobility is a new mobility frontier, presenting an opportunity for Michigan to demonstrate next-generation industrial leadership. As the global aviation sector grows rapidly, the United States must hurry to commercialize uncrewed aerial systems (UAS) technologies, strengthen critical supply chains, and reduce dependence on foreign manufacturing.”
Michigan Chief Mobility Officer Justine Johnson added, “The new AAM Initiative, as well as the second round of grant funding, represents our commitment to advancing the future of mobility, beyond the automobile, to uncover new opportunities for the movement of people, goods, and information across land, air, and water. From delivering life-saving medical supplies to setting a world record for drone delivery, we are proud to continue developing aerial mobility solutions that will have a positive impact on Michiganders for generations to come.”
As part of this effort, the state has awarded over $4.1 million in funding through the second round of the AAM Activation Fund. This program supports infrastructure and research projects focused on real-world AAM applications in areas such as healthcare, emergency response and the automotive industry.
The latest projects receiving support include:
- CVS Health ($1.5 million, Troy): Launching drone-based delivery of specialty medications to improve access and reduce delivery times for patients.
- Traverse Connect ($949,000, Northern Michigan): Expanding UAS operations for medical supply delivery across the Munson Healthcare network.
- Jack Demmer Automotive Group ($740,000): Partnering with DroneUp, Blueflite and Airspace Link to enable drone delivery of automotive parts across metro Detroit.
- University of Michigan ($1 million, Ann Arbor): Developing M-Air, a new AAM and UAS testbed and innovation hub to support academic research, education and regional industry collaboration.
These initiatives build on Michigan’s commitment to shaping the future of AAM, following a first funding round of more than $6 million launched in 2024.
