US-made autonomous drone logistics network begins with Michigan pilot projects

At the Reindustrialize conference in Detroit earlier this July, Michigan-based businesses Blueflite and Airspace Link unveiled a partnership aimed at advancing drone-powered logistics across the United States, particularly targeting autonomous aerial delivery systems. This partnership combines Blueflite’s patented tiltrotor drone platform - designed for high-performance, autonomous missions - with Airspace Link’s enterprise-grade Drone Operations Management System (DOMS), a digital infrastructure for safe and scalable unmanned flight operations.

According to a Blueflite press release, CEO Frank Noppel described the partnership as an important step for the  drone economy, offering not just drone delivery but a secure, autonomous aerial logistics network designed and manufactured in the U.S. 

Michael Healander, CEO of Airspace Link, added that the partnership meant that integrating hardware, software, and regulatory compliance created “the blueprint for safe, autonomous flight in complex environments”.

Airspace Link’s DOMS enhances urban airspace security by integrating with infrastructure, offering robust data management, advanced security frameworks, and real-time operational oversight. This system is intended to facilitate the complex coordination needed to safely deploy drones at scale, an increasingly critical factor as public policy increasingly supports domestic drone technologies. 

The partnership has been put into practice through projects such as the drone delivery initiative with Jack Demmer Automotive Group in Detroit. This project, backed by a $740,000 grant from Michigan’s Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) Activation Fund, addresses pressing urban logistics challenges including road congestion and workforce shortages by enabling aerial delivery of automotive parts within a 12-mile radius of Jack Demmer Ford dealerships. 

This initiative also aligns with Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s Executive Directive 2025-4, which established the Michigan Advanced Air Mobility Initiative. The directive aims to position Michigan as a national leader in next-generation aviation technologies by leveraging autonomous aerial systems to strengthen supply chains, protect national security, and reduce reliance on foreign manufacturing. Governor Whitmer’s directive underscores Michigan’s historic legacy as an innovation hub and its strategic goal to lead the future of aviation technology.

Beyond automotive logistics, Blueflite, together with Airspace Link, is developing solutions for other sectors such as healthcare. For instance, Blueflite is involved in a drone delivery program with Munson Healthcare in Northern Michigan, supported by a $950,000 AAM Activation Fund grant, delivering medical supplies and lab samples to improve healthcare access in rural areas. 

Both companies have documented contracts across defense and healthcare sectors, and their combined platform supports applications from military logistics and emergency response to counter-UAS work and infrastructure protection.   

As government investments and favorable policies continue to propel the drone sector, the Blueflite-Airspace Link provides a model for autonomous, secure, and efficient aerial logistics networks, with their Michigan deployments presenting a replicable approach for integrating advanced drone technologies into vital supply chains and public services across the country.