Michigan, WSP, and ASX Developing First-ever Flying Wireless Mesh Network

WSP and Airspace Experience Technologies (ASX) have been selected by the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) Office of Aeronautics Division to establish a UAS Communication Mesh Test Deployment.

The UAS (Unmanned Aerial Systems) project will explore the ability of the technology to support beyond visual line of sight unmanned aircraft deployments.

ASX, based at Detroit City Airport, is developing and testing large scale unmanned aircraft systems and a unique traffic management system leveraging automotive electric vehicle (EV) technologies and V2V2I short range wireless communication systems.

“We believe connected vehicle technology developed for terrestrial vehicles can be deployed to manage aerial vehicles as well, and our preliminary testing results have been very favorable,” says Walton Fehr, AeroNet Architect for ASX.

The company began researching and developing the approach in 2015, and has applied for various patents centered on back office command and control schemes.

ASX partnered with WSP to respond to MDOT Office of Aeronautics’ Request for Proposal to deploy ground based wireless infrastructure to work in concert with small, unmanned aerial systems (UAS).

WSP’s experience conducting research and preparing research documents for MDOT, other states, and federal agencies made it a natural partner for ASX to lead the project.

“WSP has extensive experience performing technology reviews, frequency analyses, and communications interference analyses for the FAA, along with state and local communities,” says Paul Wheeler, VP Aerial Innovation – WSP.

“This will ensure coordination, planning, and execution of such projects, and it’s exciting to partner with ASX to deploy this all-new Flying Wireless Mesh Network in Michigan. WSP and ASX have the passion and experience to assist MDOT and their goals for this project and to bolster the intermodal transportation options available to Michigan’s citizens and commercial users.”

WSP is a professional services firm with more than 68,000 staff globally, including 250 people in Michigan. The company provides technical expertise and strategic advice to clients in transportation and infrastructure, property and buildings, environment, industry, resources (including mining and oil and gas), and energy sectors, as well as offering project and program delivery and advisory services.

The scope of experts include engineers, advisors, technicians, scientists, architects, planners, surveyors, and environmental specialists, as well as other design, program, and construction management professionals. For more information, visit wsp.com .

ASX designs and builds electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft, along with related technologies, to enable autonomous air mobility between cities, airports, and suburbs. The company’s eVTOL — the SIGMA-6 — offers the capability to connect national and international logistics, as well as take commuters out of traffic and into the air.

Based in Detroit, ASX design and builds eco-friendly, quiet, and fully connected aircraft that offers vertical take-off and landing. Applications include, but are not limited to, Cargo Logistics, Defense, First Response, and Air Taxi operations.

For more information, visit iflyasx.com .

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