Florida Poly unveils nation's first flying electric police vehicle

Florida Polytechnic University in Lakeland is now home to the first flying electric vertical takeoff and landing police vehicle in the country.Electric patrol vehicle arrivesFlorida Polytechnic University is integrating "Astro," a flying electric vertical takeoff and landing vehicle, into its police department. The manned aircraft weighs 154 pounds without its battery and can remain in the air for about 20 minutes. The university paid nearly $150,000 for the vehicle.Officials have not confirmed when final FAA approval will be granted, though they expect it may occur by November or late December. Real-world applications and trainingChief Aaron Murray explained that Astro is a cost-effective tool that could help officers locate missing people, access areas unreachable by traditional ground vehicles and assist with post-storm recovery efforts.A capstone team of computer science students is undergoing hands-on training with the technology, while mechanical engineering students like senior