Drone Delivery Canada, U of Toronto, Ford Launch Research Project

Drone Delivery Canada will soon test an automated drone in cooperation with one of the nation’s most prestigious research institutes.

The Toronto-based company announced the research agreement this week with the University of Toronto Institute of Aerospace Studies in cooperation with automaker Ford.

The group will test an automated drone as it tracks and lands on a moving ground vehicle within the flight arena.

“As a clear leader in the drone logistics industry globally, we are pleased to be working with world-class organizations such as UTIAS and Ford to advance our technology and applications for drone delivery,” DDC CEO Michael Zahra said.

“We continue to move the industry forward and these advances can create further commercial use cases for drone delivery.  We have a proud history of R&D which has resulted in unique and patented intellectual property and the successful commercialization of our advanced logistics solution.”

“Foundational research infrastructure, coupled with world-class researchers, leads to groundbreaking discoveries,” said Ramin Farnood, U of T Engineering’s Vice-Dean of Research. “With the support of the Canada Foundation for Innovation, our U of T Engineering researchers can continue to be leaders in their field and make positive, vital contributions to our society and the economy.”

Earlier this month, Drone Delivery Canada signed an agreement brokered by Air Canada to work with Kenyan startup Astral Aerial Solutions Limited to grow the African nation’s drone delivery market.

Drone Delivery Canada News Roundup

• August: The company partnered with the Georgina Island First Nation to provide delivery services to the Ontario community. DDC will launch a two-way delivery flight route to the First Nation’s mainland community using its Sparrow drone and the DroneSpot takeoff-and-landing zones.
• July: DDC prepared to fly into the U.S. market, sparking discussions with potential American partners. A company spokesperson said several companies had expressed interest in working with the Toronto-based UAV firm to “provide [DDC’s] proprietary systems to support drone delivery solutions for multiple vertical markets and use-cases in multiple geographies.”
• June: Drone Delivery Canada announced a collaboration with GlobalMedic and Air Canada to deliver COVID-treatment cargo to Christian Island, a remote territory governed by the Beausoleil First Nation Community in Ontario.
• November: DDC announced its first partnership with European logistics/transport group DSV Panalpina A/S to provide a drone-based delivery platform to the Danish conglomerate’s new Canadian air and sea division.
• February 2019: Drone Delivery Canada unveiled its largest and longest-range drone, the Condor. Under development over the past year, the single-rotor vehicle offers a payload of 400 pounds and can travel up to 124 miles on a tank of gas.
• 2018: DDC announced a partnership with Toyota Tsusho Canada – a subsidiary of the well-known Toyota Group. The effort will see TTCI participate with DDC’s commercial pilot program in Canada for flight testing and development of international markets for drone delivery.