Battle Creek’s ResilienX Wins $200,000 Drone Grant

A Battle Creek aviation technology company has secured $200,000 in state support for a local drone deployment that will begin with police emergency response.

ResilienX was selected to deploy its ORION-X drone services platform in Battle Creek, according to a report published October 21st, 2026.

The first phase is expected to establish a drone-as-first-responder program for the Battle Creek Police Department.

Such programs are designed to send a remotely operated aircraft toward certain calls so trained personnel can assess a scene before or while ground responders arrive.

The grant comes through the Michigan Office of Future Mobility and Electrification, which selected 12 advanced-air-mobility projects around the state.

The broader award round includes demonstrations involving medical deliveries, infrastructure inspection and other public-service uses.

Battle Creek’s project will build on work already under way at the Battle Creek Executive Airport, where ResilienX is helping develop systems for the MICH-AIR advanced-air-mobility hub.

Battle Creek Unlimited announced in January that the company had been selected for a ground-based detect-and-avoid system supporting future remote and autonomous aircraft operations.

ResilienX describes ORION-X as an on-demand platform capable of coordinating drone missions and securely delivering aerial data such as images, video and lidar scans.

The new grant moves that technology from planning toward a practical local public-safety test.

The projects were chosen through the Michigan Mobility Funding Platform, administered by NextEnergy.

Officials say the Battle Creek deployment could later support additional municipal and commercial applications, though operational details and a launch date have not yet been announced.

What did ResilienX receive?

The Battle Creek company received a $200,000 state grant to deploy its ORION-X drone services platform.

How will the project begin?

The initial use case is a drone-as-first-responder program involving Battle Creek police.

When will the program launch?

A specific operational start date had not been announced as of October 22nd, 2026.