Advanced Aerial Mobility Activation Fund

The goal of the Advanced Aerial Mobility (AAM) Activation Fund is to accelerate the development and deployment of AAM technologies and infrastructure to drive measurable benefits for Michiganders and strengthen the state's economy. The fund aims to create a centralized pipeline of AAM projects to validate technical and economic feasibility of key AAM use cases, generate critical data to inform policy making, and accelerate AAM readiness and growth in the state. Eligible projects must address a use case with clear, potential impact to the State of Michigan. Initial use cases of interest include drones for inspection of critical infrastructure, delivery of medical supplies, and movement of critical parts; drone and advanced aircraft technology for defense and dual-use applications; sustainable aviation for regional passenger travel or cargo/logistics; analysis, planning, and development of enabling infrastructure like drone ports, vertiports, and electric aircraft charging; and AAM/drone training. Projects are evaluated on technical and economic feasibility, impact potential (such as advancing climate goals, increasing equitable access, driving supply chain resilience, and fostering public-private partnerships), and scalability. The grant application is currently closed. When open, the fund accepts market-led project proposals on a rolling basis until funds are depleted, which are then evaluated by a cross-agency review committee.