Florida Police Flying Vehicle Gets a Name, Astro, and an FAA Problem: Patrols Are Barred Under Part 103

The Florida Polytechnic University Police Department in Lakeland has introduced a flying patrol vehicle that the university has nicknamed Astro, after the dog in the classic cartoon The Jetsons. Jetson, the company behind the Jetson ONE personal flying machine, built the single-seat aircraft, and the university says it is the first US law enforcement agency to add this type of piloted electric aircraft to its fleet. CARC previously covered the selection of the Jetson ONE for Florida Polytechnic police work; the November 2 reporting adds the name, the training picture and the regulatory catch.

Astro uses electric vertical takeoff and landing technology, so it can lift straight into the air without a runway, and a four-axis joystick allows the pilot to control its movement. The aircraft arrived during summer 2026, and police personnel have since completed flight training, according to Jetson, including Police Chief Aaron Murray. Jetson also identifies the aircraft by its registration number, N911FP, and a photo dated October 20, 2026 shows Chief Murray maneuvering Astro over the Lakeland campus.

The FAA hurdle is the heart of the story. Jetson developed the ONE as a recreational aircraft designed around the FAA's Part 103 ultralight rules, which allow qualifying ultralight vehicles to operate without traditional aircraft or pilot certification. But Part 103 limits use to recreational or sporting purposes, and FAA guidance specifically identifies aerial surveying and patrolling as activities that cannot operate under Part 103. Astro therefore still needs FAA authorization before officers can use it for operational police patrols, and the university is seeking that approval.

The commercial picture is also worth noting carefully. Jetson says its entire 2026 and 2027 production is sold out, and it is now accepting orders for 2028 at a listed price of $148,000. That figure differs from the $98,000 price cited in earlier coverage of the Florida Polytechnic selection, and CARC flags the discrepancy rather than resolving it: list pricing may have changed, or the two figures may reflect different configurations. Astro is also scheduled to appear at the public UP.Summit event at Kennedy Space Center on November 7 and 8, where the public can see the aircraft the police cannot yet fly on patrol.