Drone Delivery Canada gets BVLOS approval for medical flights

Drone Delivery Canada gets BVLOS approval for medical flightsSkip to main content

Aerial transport company Drone Delivery Canada has added new capacities to its growing array of UAV activities by obtaining approval from regulators for beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) flights of dangerous goods as part of its Care by Air program.

Drone Delivery Canada said it had gotten the BVLOS authorization from Transport Canada for a specialized Care by Air corridor, through which it provides aerial services to medical and healthcare clients. The company says that added flexibility will expand the reach and capabilities of its autonomous fleet, and afford significantly improved operational efficiencies.

Under the BVLOS approval, Drone Delivery Canada will fly medical radioisotopes via UAV – a first in Canada – across a 13.4-kilometer route as part of its Care by Air project. Other partners in that program include McMaster University, DSV Canada Inc., Air Canada Cargo, Halton Healthcare, and the Oakville Trafalgar Hospital.

Read: Skydio earns ‘unprecedented’ BVLOS authorization across Japan

The BVLOS authorization, Drone Delivery Canada said, was granted in recognition of the company’s “cutting-edge technology, rigorous safety standards, and commitment to advancing the field of drone logistics.”

The approval covers its Care by Air operation in the Golden Horseshoe area of southern Ontario, not far from the company’s Toronto headquarters.

“We are extremely proud to have received these crucial approvals from Transport Canada for our Care by Air project,” said Steve Magirias, CEO of Drone Delivery Canada. “This is a significant achievement not only for our company but for the entire drone delivery sector. With BVLOS flights and dangerous goods transportation authorization, we can now take a giant leap forward in transforming the way healthcare supplies are transported, ensuring faster delivery times and enhancing overall patient care.”

Read: InDro earns FAA BVLOS waiver for US drone inspections – ‘a Canadian first’

Drone Delivery Canada operates using a combination of proprietary software and cutting-edge hardware, and makes those assets available to government and global corporate organizations as models of Software as a Service activities.