Gov Wants Drone Delivery To Take Off In Michigan

(Source: MIRS.news, Published 07/17/2025) Drones, air taxis and other unmanned flying gadgets used to deliver packages are the future, and Gov. Gretchen Whitmer wants Michigan to be in the pilot's cockpit in leading the nation in this new technology.

The Governor Thursday activated at least five state departments to find ways to clear the airways for “uncrewed aerial systems (UAS)” by directing staff and money to accelerate the testing and deployment of these flying doodads.

drone making a delivery

Through Whitmer's new Michigan Advanced Air Mobility initiative (AAM), the Department of Transportation and the Michigan Aeronautics Commission will help figure out the flight plans for the juiced-up drones. The Michigan Economic Development Corporations will lure high-tech companies into Michigan to make the uncrewed systems. The Department of Labor and Economic Growth will make it easier for companies to start getting into drones and UAS. The Department of Military and Veterans Affairs will make the drones available to the National Guard. And the Office of Defense and Aerospace Innovation will grease the wheels on testing the flying gadgets before they can be used for national security or anything else.

In short, Whitmer wants these drones and flying objects made in Michigan. To make them in Michigan, it would be best if Michigan had agreeable rules and regulations on how, when, where and why they can be flown.

Along with Thursday's Executive Directive 2025-4 that creates her AAM initiative, the Governor also noted four projects that are splitting $4.1 million to advance this work:

 - CVS Health of Troy is getting $1.5 million to find out if drones can be used to get patients their medicine.

 - Traverse Connect of Traverse City is getting $949,000 to see if the larger UAS devices can be used to get medical supplies and equipment across Munson Healthcare's geographically expansive network of clinics.

 - Jack Demmer Automotive Group is getting $740,000 to work with DroneUp, blueflite and Airspace Link to use drones to bring automotive parts to the Jack Demmer Ford dealerships within a 12-mile radius.

 - The University of Michigan is getting $1 million to create “M-Air”, a start-up for the technology.

The current world record for drone delivery was set in Michigan when an electric drone carried a 10-pound payload 63 miles against wind gusts of up to 32 mph.