FLITE grant recipients bring new tech to Ford Airport

FLITE grant recipients bring new tech to Ford Airport
Renu Robotics, based in San Antonio, specializes in utility-scale solar plants and autonomous vegetation management. <strong> Courtesy Gerald R. Ford International Airport </strong>

Gerald R. Ford International Airport announced its second group of companies to receive a total of $145,500 in grant funding through the Ford Launchpad for Innovative Technologies and Entrepreneurship (FLITE).

FLITE, a collaboration between Gerald R. Ford Airport International Airport Authority, the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, Southwest Airlines and Stantec GenerationAV, will allow five new tech companies to complete pilot testing on their products in an airport environment. 

This year’s recipients are: 

  • Aircraft Data Fusion: Utilizing web-based cloud solutions to provide real-time passenger forecasting
  • Dataspeed: Reforming aviation operations with the Kinetic360 Autonomous Service Vehicle
  • EVA: Retooling EVA’s drone infrastructure to provide airport services to upgrade baggage delivery
  • Renu Robotics: Improving how aviation facilities conduct vegetation management with autonomous lawn mowers
  • Spotter: Developing innovative sensor technology to help travelers identify open parking spots

“We are thrilled to partner with this next round of companies through FLITE to offer them the opportunity to test their products in a real-world airport environment,” said Tory Richardson, president and CEO of the Gerald R. Ford International Airport Authority. “With thousands of passengers traveling through our airport every day, we can introduce startup companies to a global market, providing them with a vibrant workspace to scale their air travel technology solutions to further enhance the guest experience.”

Aircraft Data Fusion is based in Apple Valley, Minnesota, and works under the belief that effective and efficient airline/airport operations can be achieved only when there is alignment between strategic goals and the daily business operations that support them. 

“Being a part of FLITE allows us to test our innovation lab framework in a live airport environment, creating the foundation and road map for future digital transformation initiatives for the air transport industry,” said Kasey Herzberg, director of engineering for Aircraft Data Fusion. 

Dataspeed, located in Detroit, provides complete autonomous research and development vehicle integrations that allow engineers to quickly establish their algorithm, sensor, or data research.

EVA, a Syracuse, New York-based drone company, has more than eight stations, allowing transportation of payloads up to 250 kilos. The services provided include edge cloud capability, quantum key encryption, on-time delivery, e-commerce and a logistics marketplace where businesses can meet drone operators to transport goods. 

Renu Robotics, based in San Antonio, specializes in utility-scale solar plants and autonomous vegetation management. 

Spotter ID, based in Grand Rapids, is focused on changing how drivers find parking through a smartphone application, on-location sensors, and real-time data. Spotter ID can decrease the time, fuel and emissions it takes for drivers to find an open parking spot and decrease traffic in cities.

“FLITE provides Spotter ID the opportunity to verify the status of the parking spot is updated in the cloud,” said Vishnu Mano, founder and CEO of Spotter ID. “The partnership with Ford International Airport allows an ongoing environment where cars come and go allowing the opportunity for validation of the software.”

FLITE, first launched in January 2022,  provides grants and testing opportunities to companies focused on bringing emerging air travel solutions to market, serving as a catalyst for private investment in Michigan’s infrastructure to spark job creation, create long-term revenue streams, generate new private investment and attract more talent to the region.