LAKELAND, Fla. — The campus police department at Florida Polytechnic University has added an electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) vehicle to its operations, making it the first law enforcement agency in the nation to do so, the university stated.
Florida Poly is in the final stages of seeking FAA compliance to use the Jetson ONE vehicle, dubbed “Astro,” as part of its fleet. In adding the vehicle, the university aims to enter the advanced air mobility field and explore its effects on public safety.
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“Advanced air mobility is a technology on the rise, and we can either choose to be proactive or reactive as it develops,” Aaron Murray, the university’s police chief, stated. “We want to stay at the forefront of this technology and understand how it can be used to advance public safety and airspace safety altogether.”
The university also stated that the vehicle would enable the department to “monitor campus and surrounding acres, reach areas difficult to access by traditional vehicles, assist with post-storm recovery efforts and deliver emergency supplies quickly when needed.”
Students will also be able to use “Astro” in their field of study, with students and faculty planning for the use of real-time operations data for research and capstone projects.
Where do you see advanced air mobility fitting into law enforcement in the next 10 years, if at all?
