Drone Delivery Canada (DDC) has, with the assistance of its sales agent Air Canada, entered into multiple commercial agreements to deploy its drones at Edmonton International Airport (YEG).
In addition to YEG, DDC has signed commercial agreements with Apple Express Courier Ltd., BBE Expediting Ltd., and MFN Management Inc. (a wholly owned corporation of Montana First Nation).
The agreements, with an aggregate value of C$417,000, will run for a 12-month duration. DDC will expand the defined route delivery from YEG with an additional DroneSpot at a medical clinic located in the city of Leduc, Alberta.
Cargo delivery will take place from YEG to the medical clinic while also maintaining the current delivery route from YEG to the off airport DroneSpot in Leduc County, which formed the delivery route for the first phase of the project.
The medical clinic is wholly owned by Montana First Nation and provides health care services to indigenous and non-indigenous Canadians.
All operations will be conducted in accordance with applicable Canadian regulations and/or Transport Canada special approvals, with flights remotely piloted by DDC from its Operations Control Centre located in Vaughan, Ontario. Additionally, the Canary Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) will be used on this route once operational.
DDC will commence deployment of the site infrastructure shortly and expects to begin providing drone delivery services under the commercial agreements later in 2024. The YEG drone delivery project, which began with the execution of an agreement with YEG in 2019, became commercially operational in May 2022.
During the first phase of the project, over 2,400 flights with a total flight distance of over 6,500km were completed. The new agreements add a second leg to the operations originating out of the central DroneSpot at YEG.
Steve Magirias, chief executive of Drone Delivery Canada, commented: “We are very pleased to sign these new agreements as part of the next phase of our operations at Edmonton International Airport, as well as introducing two new partners as part of the agreements.
“This next phase will enable us to further expand our delivery capabilities, showcase our Canary RPA, and explore new use cases for RPA delivery within the YEG area.”
Myron Keehn, president and chief executive of YEG, said: “As we build out the drone delivery demand, we continue to safely innovate the process through a collaborative approach with our partners.
“Alongside Leduc County and the City of Leduc, we are proud to advance sustainable solutions to first and final mile delivery at Edmonton International Airport and the surrounding region.
“Part of our commitment to being net zero by 2040 is creating opportunities for sustainable transportation and aviation, and we are excited to continue supporting and enhancing the future of drone delivery in the Edmonton Metro Region.”
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