Photo courtesy of Essential Aero, Inc.
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich., November 5, 2026 – The Gerald R. Ford International Airport Authority announced the tenth cohort of companies selected to receive $140,000 in grant funding through the Ford Launchpad for Innovative Technologies and Entrepreneurship, or FLITE.
In partnership with Southwest Airlines®, Envoy Air, Michigan Office of Future Mobility & Electrification, Seamless Ventures, Avflight Grand Rapids Corporation and the West Michigan Aviation Academy, FLITE has awarded more than $1.6 million to almost 50 projects to date.
“We’ve worked closely with our FLITE partners and these companies to bring their technologies into our airport and see how they perform in real world conditions,” said Alex Peric, chief operating officer of the Gerald R. Ford International Airport Authority. “Each project helps us learn about emerging technologies along with how we can plan for their adoption and integration.”
The projects address ongoing airport operational needs, from removing debris on airfield surfaces and identifying pavement damage to improving aircraft loading efficiency and making airport announcements more accessible. Four companies are piloting their technologies this round:
Essential Aero, Inc. develops autonomous robots for airfield operations. At the Ford Airport, the company is testing FOD-BOT, a robotic system that sweeps and collects foreign object debris, or FOD, from airfield surfaces. Testing will evaluate the robot's ability to navigate safely around people, vehicles and equipment, as well as its potential to reduce the time staff spends collecting debris.
“FLITE gives us something rare: a busy commercial airport that will put an autonomous robot to work on live pavement alongside its operations team, an airline and a cargo operator,” said Bob Kupsh, vice president of business development at Essential Aero, Inc. “What we learn at the Ford International Airport will shape how FOD-BOT works at airports across the country.”
Niricson, USA uses artificial intelligence and specialized data collection technologies to assess infrastructure conditions and track deterioration over time. At the Ford Airport, the company is testing robotic acoustic technology to identify hidden damage within concrete pavement. Detecting this damage early could help airports plan maintenance proactively and reduce the risk of pavement deterioration creating debris or requiring unplanned repairs.
Loadsters develops portable conveyor belt systems designed to help airlines load and unload aircraft more quickly and cost-effectively. The company is testing a new feature at the Ford Airport that aims to further improve ground-handling efficiency while reducing airline operating costs.
Farfield AI provides real-time transcription, translation and analytics of airport public address announcements. At the Ford Airport, the company is capturing announcements directly from the airport's public address system to train an airport-specific speech recognition model, which it will then test in the terminal. The technology could help make important announcements more accessible and useful to guests and other airport systems.
“Announcements are some of the most important information passengers get at the airport, but they’re easy to miss. FLITE has given us a rare chance to work hands-on with the Ford International Airport to capture these announcements at the source,” said Julia Cambre, founder of Farfield AI. “We’re excited to share what we learn with other airports, airlines and stakeholders looking to make announcements clearer for every passenger.”
The current projects demonstrate how collaboration between airports and emerging technology companies can help evaluate operational challenges and provide new solutions. Findings from the testing will help the participating companies refine their technologies and inform potential applications at the Ford International Airport, other airports and airlines, advancing innovation across the aviation industry.
About the FLITE Program
Ford Launchpad for Innovative Technologies and Entrepreneurship, or FLITE, provides grants and pilot-testing opportunities to companies focused on bringing emerging air travel technology solutions to market. This is one of the first airport-based initiatives in the nation that provides funding to encourage the testing and validation of new products and services in a live airport environment.
For more information about FLITE, visit https://www.grr.org/flite.
About the Gerald R. Ford International Airport
The Gerald R. Ford International Airport is Michigan's second-busiest airport, serving more than four million passengers annually with eight commercial airline partners offering nonstop flights to over 30 destinations. Managed and operated by the Gerald R. Ford International Airport Authority, the airport supports over 40,000 jobs in the region and contributes more than $7 billion to the local economy each year. For more information, visit flyford.org or follow the airport on Facebook, X, LinkedIn and Instagram @FlyGRFord.
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