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Innovative drone inspection is one of the first to launch under the Advanced Aerial Innovation Region (AAIR)—a real-world testing ground for next-generation drone operations based at Michigan Central.

Detroit, MI – June 9, 2025 – Lamarr.AI, in partnership with Michigan Central and Newlab, has launched a drone inspection pilot to identify opportunities for improved municipal building operations and energy efficiency. Supported by the State of Michigan’s Advanced Aerial Mobility Activation Fund, this initiative utilizes Advanced Aerial Innovation Region (AAIR)—the real-world testing ground created for next-generation drone operations at Michigan Central

The data, including thermal imaging and building analytics for selected City-owned facilities, will be provided to the City of Detroit to support efforts in identifying energy-saving improvements and optimizing building performance. The City partnered on deploying the technology in three municipal buildings and will be provided building reports as part of a permitted project through the Office of Mobility Innovation’s Transportation Innovation Zone (TIZ).

Lamarr.AI, a Newlab member company, has created a proprietary artificial intelligence (AI) platform that autonomously and rapidly processes data captured by drones to create detailed thermal 3D models and energy simulations. These models will help the City identify thermal inefficiencies, assess structural conditions, and optimize potential upgrades.

Lamarr.AI is revolutionizing how the health of building exteriors and roofs can be evaluated. Born from collaborative research efforts across MIT, Georgia Tech, and Syracuse University, the platform collects high-resolution data and imagery utilizing drones, thermal imaging, and AI to accelerate the transition to high performance buildings.

“This partnership represents what’s most powerful about cross-sector collaboration—bringing together public agencies, startups, and infrastructure partners to accelerate meaningful progress toward sustainability,” said Dr. Tarek Rakha, CEO and Co-founder of Lamarr.AI. “By combining thermal 3D mapping, AI, and energy performance simulation, we’re making the invisible visible—uncovering inefficiencies and delivering actionable insights that can scale energy retrofits across entire cities. Detroit is leading by example, and we’re proud to support their vision with cutting-edge tools built for impact.”

Lamarr.AI, supported by FlyGuys and Airspace Link, evaluated multiple city-owned buildings using its AI-powered drone inspection technology. In Southwest Detroit, at the Fourth Precinct and Engine 27, the system identified more than 460 thermal deficiencies –including insulation gaps and potential water infiltration – within days, a process that would traditionally take weeks. These insights were mapped to 3D models and paired with energy simulations, showing that targeted upgrades could reduce HVAC energy use by up to 22 percent at all tested buildings.

Recommended improvements are part of the final reports and include a tiered approach to retrofits such as targeted weatherization at the curtainwall, replacement of specific failing windows, continuous wall insulation, and roof enhancements designed to boost comfort, reduce maintenance, and cut emissions. Similar evaluations at two other municipal buildings are helping the City assess the broader impact and scalability of drone-enabled inspections to support energy efficiency and decarbonization goals across its portfolio.

By combining the capabilities of Detroit’s public agencies, local innovation startups, and infrastructure partners, the project showcases how collaborative drone deployment can directly support city operations. The pilot is also part of Michigan Central’s broader effort to create a replicable framework for responsible drone use in dense urban environments.

“This pilot is a prime example of how public-private collaboration can unlock innovative solutions for cities,” said Tim Slusser, Chief Mobility Officer for the City of Detroit. “By partnering with Lamarr.AI, Michigan Central, and Newlab, we’re not only exploring the future of aerial mobility – we’re actively applying it to make Detroit’s buildings smarter, more energy efficient, and better equipped for the future. It’s exciting to see Detroit continue to lead as a real-world testbed for technology that creates real impact for our residents.”

Advanced Aerial Innovation Region

AAIR brings together government, private industry, and technology partners to pilot real-world drone solutions that address urban challenges.

  • AAIR’s infrastructure and governance model at Michigan Central set it apart from other drone testbeds by integrating the full spectrum of partners needed to move drone technology from concept to city-scale deployment.

  • Airspace Link’s digital airspace management tools—which accelerate the FAA approval process and ensure safe, compliant operations—support deployment across Michigan Central’s 30 acres of shared-use facilities, including an Operations Center, Launchpad, and Scaled Launch Facility.

  • Newlab plays a central role by attracting global startups like Lamarr.AI to Michigan and helping leverage the ecosystem to test, refine, and scale pilot opportunities.

  • The City of Detroit is serving as a pilot site, demonstrating how real-world data can directly inform and enhance municipal building operations strategy. This unique ecosystem allows AAIR to exemplify the region’s commitment to using innovation to deliver real public value.

“The Advanced Aerial Innovation Region in Detroit is a unique and key asset to developing and deploying new drone technology applications,” said Matt Whitaker, Director of Mobility Innovation Platforms at Michigan Central. “We are not only enabling these technologies to be tested in real-world environments—we are creating the conditions for Lamarr.AI and other startups to unlock significant scale as they deliver valuable urban innovation.”

For more information about Michigan Central and AAIR, visit Michigan Central.

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About Lamarr.AI

Lamarr.AI is the one-stop platform for building envelope analytics and energy retrofit decision-making. By combining drone-based thermal and visible-range imaging, advanced AI analytics, and energy simulation, Lamarr.AI delivers fast, accurate, and cost-effective diagnostics to detect and prioritize inefficiencies. Lamarr.AI’s end-to-end solution empowers building owners, facilities managers, and cities to reduce emissions, lower energy costs, and extend the life of their buildings—transforming how the built environment is maintained and decarbonized.

About Michigan Central

Michigan Central is a 30-acre technology and cultural hub in Detroit, where leaders, thinkers, communities, and creators come together to accelerate bold ideas and technologies that shape our collective future. By providing access to world-class infrastructure, tools, and resources, Michigan Central inspires innovators and community members to collaborate on real, ground-breaking solutions to global problems. Since opening in April 2023, Michigan Central has grown into a diverse ecosystem of about 2,000 employees from nearly 250 companies and startups working at the intersection of mobility and society.

About Newlab

Newlab is a venture platform for critical technology startups transforming core industrial sectors. We help startups commercialize faster by aligning Infrastructure, Projects, and Capital in locations with strategic advantages. Newlab operates 4 innovation hubs globally and manages active pilot programming in additional regions.