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Michigan Ford Dealership Tests Drone Delivery for Car Parts
ReMichigan Ford Dealership Tests Drone Delivery for Car Parts
Jack Demmer Automotive Group in Wayne, Michigan, has launched a drone delivery test program to move car parts between its dealership locations, aiming to cut service delays caused by traffic.
Jack Demmer Automotive Group has begun testing an autonomous drone delivery program to transport car parts across metro Detroit, an initiative designed to cut service times for customers by bypassing road traffic. The first test flight took off from a dealership with a small box and landed in a parking lot behind the company’s Quick Lane Tire and Auto Center, covering a short distance that employees currently handle by running between buildings or dispatching a truck.
The program is backed by a $740,000 grant from Michigan’s Advanced Air Mobility Activation Fund, which supports the development of drone technology in the state. The company plans to use the drones to deliver high-demand parts within a 12-mile radius of its Jack Demmer Ford dealerships. Mark Hatfield, Jack Demmer Ford parts manager, said the program allows the group to move critical parts faster, reduce repair delays, improve efficiency, and get customers back on the road sooner.
During the test, staff from drone supplier Blueflite were on site to oversee the flight, but future operations are expected to be managed remotely. Blueflite business development lead Tyler Bruder told the Detroit Free Press that the drone includes a built-in parachute system for emergencies and is designed to keep the cargo bay steady during flight. The aircraft is meant to avoid the traffic delays that trucks face when ferrying parts between locations.
Jack Demmer hopes to expand the drone program to its other sites, including a Lincoln dealership in Dearborn and a 27-bay commercial vehicle center planned to open next year. Michigan’s Advanced Air Mobility Activation Fund was created to accelerate the development of such technologies in the state and drive economic growth. The test flight marks an early step in what could become a regular sight over Detroit, with drones carrying spare taillights or other components between dealership facilities.
