# Florida police unveil $148K flying patrol vehicle

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/florida-police-unveil-148k-flying-patrol-vehicle/
- Published: 2026-11-02T18:30:06+00:00
- Updated: 2026-11-02T22:51:34+00:00
- Original publisher: Fox News (publisher lean: Far right)
- Original article: https://www.foxnews.com/tech/florida-police-unveil-148k-flying-patrol-vehicle
- Topics: World

## Key points

- Florida university police have introduced an electric aircraft called Astro.
- It can reach 63 mph but flies for about 20 minutes per charge.
- FAA authorisation is still needed for operational patrols.

## Summary

Florida Polytechnic University Police Department has introduced Astro, a single-seat electric aircraft built by Jetson, as a potential new way to respond to emergencies around its Lakeland campus. The university says it is the first US law enforcement agency to add this kind of piloted electric aircraft to its fleet, but Astro still needs Federal Aviation Administration authorisation before it can be used for operational patrols.

Astro is a Jetson ONE fitted with police lights, a handheld radio and mounts for action cameras; a searchlight could be added later. It takes off vertically, can reach an advertised 63 mph and flies for about 20 minutes per charge. Recharging takes around 90 minutes with a 240-volt connection or about three hours from a standard household outlet, while the 210-pound maximum includes the pilot and all carried equipment.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.