Perhaps the age of "The Jetsons" is closer than we think.
Florida Polytechnic University announced Tuesday that its police department plans to be the first in the country to employ a flying vehicle as part of its force.
“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, said in a news release. “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.”
Named Astro after the dog in the 1960s cartoon, the vehicle was developed by California-based Jetson.
[Video: Watch Astro in flight]
In the release, company CEO Stéphan D’haene said he prioritized Florida Poly's order despite a three-year waiting list for such vehicles, citing the school's focus on science and technology.
“In our business plan and in alignment with our mission, we have always been looking for the use case beyond the recreational intent,” D’haene said in the release. “We believe that this project is so important and aligns so much with what we want to do that we made it a priority.”
ALSO READ: Tampa International Airport looks to connect the region through electric air taxis
Florida Poly is currently awaiting final approval from the Federal Aviation Administration to officially use the vehicle as part of its police operations.
The goal, according to the release, is to monitor the campus and surrounding area, as well as assist with post-storm recovery and deliver emergency supplies as needed.
The university's police department also plans to use Astro to assist other law enforcement agencies.
"At Florida Poly, we want our students working with emerging technologies before they become commonplace,” Florida Poly Provost Brad Thiessen said in the release. “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."
Astro's arrival comes as Florida moves forward with developing advanced air mobility technology.
The state was recently chosen to participate in an FAA program to test the vehicles at the SunTrax facility in Auburndale, near the Florida Poly campus. Testing is expected to begin by the end of the year.
