University of Michigan’s mobility proving grounds Mcity is expanding into air mobility with a new research corridor that links its world-class autonomy research facility and proving ground with Michigan Central’s real-world, urban testbed and innovation district in Detroit. The roughly 40-mile skyway will be the centerpiece of M-Air, a new public-private partnership the University of Michigan is launching to advance electric flight and uncrewed aircraft systems.
One way that U-M intends to use M-Air is to help advance the Michigan Medicine’s Survival Flight service, which transports patients and organs. Already, helicopters could benefit from drone detection systems to prevent collisions in case drones stray into the wrong airspace. And in the more distant future, Survival Flight may use smaller, lighter drones to transport organs and medicines.
Monday. July 21. 2025
Photo by Marcin Szczepanski/Lead Multimedia Storyteller, University of Michigan College of Engineering