Florida Poly unveils flying police vehicle, pending FAA approval
Florida Polytechnic University says its police department is the first in the nation to integrate a manned eVTOL aircraft into operations, but the Lakeland campus still needs FAA approval before the vehicle can be used on duty.
What Florida Poly announced
Florida Polytechnic University in Lakeland says its police department has become the first law-enforcement agency in the nation to integrate an electric vertical takeoff and landing vehicle into operations. The manned aircraft is named Astro, and the university says it is still in the final stages of seeking Federal Aviation Administration approval before it can be used in operations.
What the aircraft could do
If the FAA clears it, the university says Astro could help officers monitor campus and surrounding acres, reach hard-to-access areas, assist with post-storm recovery and deliver emergency supplies quickly. Florida Poly also says it wants to use the aircraft with law-enforcement agencies across the region for emergency response and other public-safety work.
Why it matters on campus
The project is also tied to Florida Poly’s new aerospace engineering degree, which the university says launched this fall. The school says Astro will serve as a hands-on learning and research tool for students and faculty, adding a classroom piece to the police department’s public-safety plans.
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