Interlake Trials Drone Delivery to Ships

Skyports Drone Services is piloting a new era of maritime logistics with a series of ship-to-shore, beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) drone delivery trials underway on the Great Lakes. Conducted in partnership with the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT), the Office of Future Mobility and Electrification (OFME), and Newlab, the proof-of-concept campaign runs from May 7–27, 2025, delivering cargo to Interlake Steamship vessels anchored near DeTour, Michigan.

The program is designed to demonstrate the operational, safety, and sustainability advantages of using uncrewed aerial systems to supplement traditional supply boat operations. Light cargo including oil samples, potable water, small mail, and linens is being transferred during the trial to validate both the technology and logistics behind drone-assisted maritime resupply.

Skyports is deploying the Speedbird DLV-2 drone, equipped with a winch system for safe, contactless cargo transfer. With a payload capacity of 8.8 pounds and performance tolerance in winds up to 28 mph, the drone descends to 50 feet above the vessel deck, where awaiting crew secure and retrieve the payload. Skyports’ team manages all aspects of the operation—from route planning and regulatory approvals to real-time data collection.

"This is our first U.S. maritime delivery operation," said Alex Brown, Director of Drone Services at Skyports. “Michigan has created an excellent innovation environment for advanced air mobility, and we aim to replicate this model at ports nationwide.”

The project feeds into a broader effort to develop scalable policy and infrastructure frameworks for drone integration into commercial maritime operations. Insights from the trial will inform future drone logistics standards and help accelerate adoption across Great Lakes ports and beyond.

“By teaming up with Skyports and Interlake Steamship, we’re demonstrating how unmanned aircraft can move critical supplies faster, safer, and with lower emissions,” said Connor McCarthy of Newlab Detroit. “This is a real-time proof of how the Great Lakes can be a testbed for next-gen logistics.”

The pilot is the first of three planned phases that will explore more complex, high-value use cases. For Interlake Maritime Services, which operates the participating vessels, the initiative aligns with its legacy of technology adoption and forward-leaning fleet modernization.

With permanent commercial deployment in sight, this pilot marks a key waypoint in the integration of autonomous aerial logistics into maritime operations—reducing risk, increasing operational efficiency, and transforming how supplies reach working ships at sea.