Detroit doughnuts arrive by drone
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A drone delivered doughnuts from the roof of Michigan Central's Newlab innovation lab in Corktown to construction workers on the riverfront Wednesday.
Why it matters: The Newlab hub is working with the state and other partners to showcase commercial drone technology in hopes of making Michigan a leader in the fruitful, global drone industry.
- They see drones as a path for creating jobs in manufacturing, operations and delivery services.
State of play: Local coffee and doughnut shop Yellow Light provided the doughnuts flown by logistics company Aerialoop's drone.
- The drone has FAA clearance to fly beyond line of sight, which is a more complicated practice.
- Aerialoop has provided local, lightweight cargo delivery by drone in a one-mile round trip between Newlab and a nearby hardware production facility as part of the pilot program.
What they're saying: Ahead of the doughnut delivery, state chief mobility officer Justine Johnson asked onlookers to imagine a future with skyways becoming paths for drone delivery that remove barriers like traffic congestion.
- "This is not just a vision, it's what we're doing here today," Johnson said.
Editor's note: This story has been corrected to reflect that the innovation lab mentioned is Newlab's (not Michigan Central's), and that the Michigan Central innovation district (not Newlab) is working with the state and others to showcase drone tech.