Two remote towns in Canada’s northern regions will be receiving a new drone delivery service provided by Drone Delivery Canada (DDC).
Through a $2.5 million agreement between DDC and the Moose Cree first nation, DDC will begin to use its Sparrow drones to deliver food, letters, medicine, and household supplies between Moosonee and Moose Factory.
The drones will operate over an approved flight path and within a Class-E controlled airspace. Its operators follow standard commercial Canadian aviation and communication protocols. Delivery progress is dual-tracked by Remote operators as well as the local control station. Each drone has a 5 kg maximum payload.
In addition to reducing delivery time, Stan Kapashesit, Director of Economic Development Moose Cree First Nation, also highlighted DDC’s role in improving accessibility where infrastructures are weak.
“Where infrastructure is weak, or at times non-existent or accessible, DDC’s drone delivery platform is a valuable solution to connect remote communities and provide fast and efficient deliveries that were once not possible”, commented Kapashesit.
According to Google Maps, it currently takes 37 minutes to drive from Moosonee to Moose Factory. This does not account for severe weather like heavy snowfall.
With a 100 per cent successful deliveries rate so far, DDC is aiming for full-scale operation in Q2 2019.