Autonomous drone delivery program launching

History takes flight in Wayne County as a drone loaded with automotive parts prepares for the first public test flight of Jack Demmer Ford’s autonomous drone delivery program. The demonstration marks a milestone for the use of drone technology to transport automotive parts in metro Detroit. Photo by John Rhaesa

By Sarah Shurge – Jack Demmer Automotive Group, in partnership with drone technology companies Airspace Link, and blueflite® with support from Centrepolis Accelerator, announced the launch of an autonomous drone delivery program for automotive parts in metro Detroit.
A press release on Tuesday, August 25th, stated that the initiative deploys drones to deliver high-demand parts within a 12-mile radius of Jack Demmer Ford dealerships in Southeast Michigan – one of the first commercial drone delivery programs in the U.S. automotive industry.
“This groundbreaking program allows us to move critical parts faster than ever before, helping reduce repair delays, improve efficiency, and get our customers back on the road sooner,” said Mark Hatfield, Jack Demmer Ford Parts Manager.
The program addresses logistics challenges for dealerships, such as traffic congestion, workforce shortages that delay parts delivery, and slow vehicle repairs.
By flying parts over congestion rather than through it, the drone delivery network creates a more efficient automotive supply chain. “It’s not just about speed—it’s about delivering the level of service, innovation, and customer care that our customers have come to expect from Jack Demmer,” said Hatfield.
The program is funded by a $740,000 grant from Michigan’s Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) Activation Fund. The AAM Activation Fund is a collaborative effort between the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT), the Michigan Aeronautics Commission, the Office of Future Mobility and Electrification (OFME) which is part of the Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity (LEO), and the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC).
“The Jack Demmer project is exactly the kind of real-world deployment the Advanced Air Mobility Initiative was designed to catalyze,” said Justine Johnson, OFME Chief Mobility Officer. “Drone delivery of automotive parts in metro Detroit demonstrates that Michigan’s supply chain strengths and our growing aerial mobility ecosystem are a powerful combination. This is what it looks like when state investment, private innovation, and Michigan ingenuity work together.”
Airspace Link’s AirHub® Drone Operations Management System (DOMS) provides the critical infrastructure for the program, managing airspace coordination, real-time operational oversight, and safety compliance across the delivery network.
“Safe, scalable drone delivery doesn’t happen by accident — it requires the right digital infrastructure underneath it. That’s exactly what Airspace Link’s AirHub® platform provides,” said Ana Healander, Airspace Link Co-Founder and Vice President of Customer Success.
Following the successful completion of pilot test flights in the metro Detroit airspace, the program is now moving into live commercial operations. The Ann Arbor through Detroit drone route will be the operational environment.
“The Detroit area is the perfect place to prove what drone logistics can do. Blueflite® was built to solve exactly this kind of challenge — delivering critical goods quickly, reliably, and autonomously in complex urban environments,” said Tyler Bruder, Business Development Lead at blueflite®.
Per the press release, the program is expected to generate critical operational data to inform regulatory policy, accelerate industry adoption of drone logistics, and serve as a national model for scaling drone delivery across the automotive sector and beyond.
“What we’re doing in metro Detroit today is a preview of how supply chains will operate everywhere tomorrow,” said Bruder.