TRAVERSE CITY, MI – A bipartisan group of Michigan lawmakers is calling for the establishment of a Coast Guard drone testing site in Northern Michigan, citing the region’s expertise in autonomous technology and strategic location on the Great Lakes.
U.S. Senators Elissa Slotkin and Gary Peters, along with U.S. Rep. Jack Bergman, are leading the effort with four other congressional colleagues to designate the U.S. Coast Guard’s Air Station Traverse City as a premier testing location for autonomous maritime technologies.
The lawmakers believe Michigan’s manufacturing legacy has positioned the state as a national leader in autonomous systems. They said the proposed site would allow the Coast Guard to test next-generation technologies in real-world Great Lakes conditions while creating opportunities for research and workforce development.
“Earlier this year, the Administration released its Maritime Action Plan: Restoring America’s Maritime Dominance, directing the Coast Guard to make one or more such designations, including in the Great Lakes,” the lawmakers said. “Northern Michigan is an ideal location for this designation given that Coast Guard Air Station Traverse City already possesses the operational expertise, strategic location, and public-private partnerships needed to become the Coast Guard’s premier site for testing autonomous maritime technologies.”
The facility serves all five Great Lakes and supports Coast Guard missions ranging from search and rescue to homeland security and disaster response. The lawmakers said the location offers uncongested airspace, capacity for expansion, and a supportive community for Coast Guard operations.
Traverse City has long been a proud home of the Air Station and its search-and-rescue teams.
According to the lawmakers, establishing the testing site would help the Coast Guard improve maritime safety and security, inspect critical infrastructure, monitor the environment and strengthen search and rescue operations while reducing costs and minimizing risk to personnel.
In addition to Slotkin, Peters and Bergman, the letter was signed by Representatives John Moolenar, Hillary Scholten, Tom Barrett and Haley Stevens.
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