The Florida Polytechnic University Police Department is taking to the sky. It made history by becoming the first law enforcement agency in the U.S. to integrate an electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) vehicle into its operations.

The aircraft is named Astro, a fun nod to both science and the family dog from The Jetsons. It is part of the Jetson ONE vehicle line made by the California-based company Jetson.

“In our business plan and in alignment with our mission, we have always been looking for the use case beyond the recreational intent,” Stéphan D’haene, CEO of Jetson, explained. “We believe that this project is so important and aligns so much with what we want to do that we made it a priority.”

The department is finishing up its approval process with the Federal Aviation Administration. Once cleared, Astro will monitor campus grounds, help out after big storms, and deliver emergency supplies fast.

“Advanced air mobility is a technology on the rise, and we can either choose to be proactive or reactive as it develops,” said Aaron Murray, the university’s police chief. “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.”

A Flying Classroom for Future Engineers

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Photo: Florida Polytechnic University

According to Florida Poly’s police force, the aircraft is also a learning tool. The university launched a brand-new aerospace engineering degree this fall, giving students immediate access to real flight data.

“At Florida Poly, we want our students working with emerging technologies before they become commonplace,” said Dr. Brad Thiessen, Florida Poly’s provost. “Astro gives our students and faculty a living laboratory where they can analyze real-world data, tackle new engineering challenges, and help shape the future of advanced air mobility.”

As the flying police vehicle begins patrolling, it bridges the gap between campus safety and classroom research.

“There are a lot of things that people once looked at as recreational vehicles that are incredible tools in our profession now,” Chief Murray added. “People used to think that bicycles, motorcycles, and drones were all just toys or hobbies, but look at the huge impact they have made on our law enforcement profession.”