A university in Florida introduced what it describes as the first electric flying police vehicle in the United States, a manned aircraft that costs nearly 150,000 dollars and is designed to support patrols, search operations, and emergency response.
The vehicle, named «Astro», was unveiled on Tuesday by the Police Department of Florida Polytechnic University, located in Lakeland, in the central part of the state.
According to the official report from the university, it is the first police agency in the country to incorporate a manned electric aircraft with vertical takeoff and landing, known by the acronym eVTOL, into its operational project.
Although it seems like a vehicle out of a science fiction movie, Astro is not yet conducting regular police patrols.
The institution is in the final stages of the process to obtain the appropriate authorization from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
The device operates with electric motors and can take off vertically without the need for a runway.
Unlike the drones typically used by police forces, it features a seat for an agent to pilot it directly.
According to a report from FOX 13 Tampa Bay, the university paid nearly 150,000 dollars for the aircraft, which weighs about 154 pounds without its battery and can stay in the air for approximately 20 minutes.
The vehicle is a Jetson ONE model, developed by the company Jetson, and is designed to transport a single person.
According to reported by Spectrum News, it has a payload capacity of up to 210 pounds and can reach an altitude of 400 feet.
Its relatively limited autonomy means that it is not designed to replace police cars or helicopters used in extended operations.
The university aims to assess its usefulness in interventions that require rapid movement to hard-to-reach locations.
Among the possible applications are the search for missing persons, campus surveillance, and its surrounding areas, as well as emergency response in zones where ground vehicles cannot easily access.
The institution also plans to use it to support recovery efforts after hurricanes and other storms, especially when floods, debris, or damage to roads hinder access to certain areas.
Another possibility is to transport emergency supplies to isolated areas, always within the technical and operational limitations of the device.
The head of the university police, Aaron Murray, explained that the integration of this technology aims to anticipate the changes that public safety may experience with the development of new forms of aerial mobility.
"Advanced air mobility is an emerging technology, and we can choose to be proactive or reactive as it develops," said Murray in the university statement.
The official noted that the intention is to understand how these aircraft can help enhance public safety and airspace management.
The Florida Poly Police also plans to collaborate with other security agencies in the region to explore the use of Astro during emergencies and joint operations.
However, there is still no confirmed date for the start of their official police flights.
FOX 13 reported that the project leaders expect to obtain FAA authorization between November and the end of December, although this timeline is not guaranteed.
The name of the aircraft also has a particular story. “Astro” is a reference to the dog from the animated series The Jetsons, which since the 1960s imagined a futuristic society where flying vehicles were part of everyday life.
The manufacturer, Jetson, decided to prioritize the order from Florida Polytechnic University even though their model Jetson ONE has a waiting list of approximately three years.
According to Stéphan D'haene, the company's CEO, the decision was driven by the interest in utilizing this technology in applications that went beyond entertainment and recreational flights.
The manufacturer believes that the university project will allow for the exploration of new possibilities for light electric aircraft in activities related to public safety.
In addition to its potential police functions, Astro will have a secondary use: it will serve as a research and training tool for students of engineering and computer science.
The university began offering a new Aerospace Engineering program this fall and believes that the aircraft will provide opportunities to analyze emerging technologies through hands-on experiences.
A group of students is already working with the team to study its characteristics and develop academic projects based on operational information.
According to FOX 13, university researchers are also studying the creation of a digital twin, that is, a virtual representation of the vehicle and its operating environment, which could be used to design training scenarios using virtual reality.
The professor Matt Bohm, head of the Department of Mechanical, Industrial, and Aerospace Engineering, explained to the television station that these tools would enable operators to prepare for various situations before facing them in real conditions.
The presentation of Astro comes at a time when Florida is promoting the development of advanced air mobility, a technology that includes electric aircraft capable of taking off and landing vertically.
In April, Florida approved legislation to facilitate the future operation of electric flying taxis by establishing a legal framework for the development of vertiports and charging infrastructure.
The HB 1093 law, signed by Governor Ron DeSantis, established provisions to incorporate those facilities into the state transportation system and allow financing mechanisms for their construction.
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