Drone Delivery Canada wins grant from green fund

Drone Delivery Canada Corp. has been awarded a grant of up to $75,000 from the Downsview Aerospace Innovation and Research (DAIR) Green Fund for its clean energy drone delivery solution.

DDC was selected as one of eight winners of funding provided by the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario) through the DAIR Green Fund. It provides financial support for projects that demonstrate an impact on the future of aerospace through sustainable and green aviation technologies and solutions.

“We are honoured to be selected as one of only eight organizations to receive the funding from the DAIR Green Fund. We look forward to utilizing the funding to further our BVLOS capabilities and approvals. The mission of the DAIR Green Fund aligns perfectly with our mission to develop and commercialize disruptive and sustainable innovations for our customers,” said Steve Magirias, CEO of DDC.

Care by Air

DDC plans to apply the grant to operating costs for the Care by Air project, as well as costs associated with regulatory approvals required to progress towards beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) operations. BVLOS will allow for the operation of more complex routes with less human resources required as DDC seeks to add new project phases and route expansions.

The Care by Air project has drones flying between DSV’s Milton DC to Halton Healthcare’s Oakville Trafalgar Memorial Hospital. The cargo drones are transporting a variety of healthcare goods including medical isotopes for cancer care (supplied from McMaster University).

The program uses DDC’s Sparrow drone, its DroneSpot takeoff and landing zones and proprietary FLYTE software. The project began in November 2022, and was scheduled to operate for six months.

This transport of vital medical supplies by drone is the first of its kind in Canada that will deliver healthcare supplies directly to a hospital for on-site patient diagnosis, treatment or care.

“The DAIR Green Fund provides supports to businesses who are leading the charge in creating sustainable innovations that will help grow Canada’s aerospace industry. The eight businesses in southern Ontario that we are celebrating today have created environmentally friendly projects that will keep this industry competitive globally and create more jobs nationally. Our government is committed to finding new ways to move toward a greener economy that works for everyone,” said Filomena Tassi, minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario.