This Florida University Is Getting A First-Of-Its-Kind Flying Vehicle For It's Security Fleet

We're sure some of you fondly remember The Jetsons (raise your hand, Gen Xers!), though younger readers may have no idea who George or Rosie are. The cartoon, which first aired in 1962, portrayed a family living 100 years in the future, with flying cars, a robotic maid, and video calls. Some of the old cartoon inventions are actually part of our daily lives today, but we're still waiting on the flying cars — or are we?

Prototypes like the Alef flying car exist, but you may be shocked to learn that the Florida Polytechnic University Police Department recently introduced its newest vehicle: a flying patrol craft from a company aptly named Jetson Inc. The aviation company is developing electric vehicles that can take off and land from the ground vertically, like a helicopter. Florida Polytechnic University in Lakeland is the only public university in the state that is dedicated solely to STEM, offering state-of-the-art research laboratories and modern facilities. Now, Jetson says campus police are the first in the world to use the Jetson ONE aircraft for law enforcement.

The aircraft, which costs $148,000, holds one person, and it looks more like a giant drone than your typical small aircraft. It has a top speed of 102 kph, or about 63 mph, and a flight time of 20 minutes per charge. The lightweight personal aircraft is made of aluminum and carbon fiber and has eight motors driving eight propellers. Safety features allow it to fly with the loss of one motor, and it can land automatically. The university has named it "Astro," after the cartoon Jetsons' family dog.

Campus police won't be using Astro for active patrols just yet, though personnel have completed training. It is registered with the number N911FP but it still requires authorization from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) before it can take off for any official policing. Inside the open cockpit, a pilot uses a four-axis joystick to control the aircraft. The university added police lights and mounts for action cameras, and it may mount a searchlight in the future. Astro has a weight capacity of 210 pounds, including the pilot and additional equipment and supplies.

After 20 minutes of flight time, the Jetson ONE charges in about 90 minutes with a 240-volt connection, or about three hours using a standard household outlet. However, the removable battery will allow campus police to swap it quickly and resume patrols. Florida Polytechnic University's Police Department will explore several public safety options for the aircraft, including how it can assist police in accessing areas that conventional vehicles cannot navigate, fast-track the delivery of supplies during emergencies, and build situational awareness during campus incidents. It will also serve as a learning tool for students in the aerospace engineering program.

Before any operations can begin, the University needs approval from the FAA to use the aircraft. The Jetson ONE is currently authorized as a recreational aircraft, but not for public safety. It expects approval before the end of the year. Commercial production of the Jetson ONE began only a few years ago, but you won't be able to land your own until at least 2028 — orders are currently booked solid until then.