Voyageur becomes Canadian launch customer for Flexrotor Uncrewed Aerial System
Voyageur Aviation, headquartered in North Bay, is getting into drone technology.
They’ve signed a purchase agreement for the Airbus U030 Flexrotor Uncrewed Aerial System (UAS), marking the first sale into Canada.
The agreement was signed at this year’s Farnborough International Airshow in the United Kingdom.
Officials say the purchase represents an important milestone in Voyageur’s strategic expansion into the uncrewed domain, strengthens the company’s existing expertise in intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) and introduces a proven, next-generation uncrewed platform to Voyageur’s capabilities.
“This purchase represents a significant advancement in Voyageur’s ISR strategy and an important first for the Canadian market,” says Cory Cousineau, President, Voyageur. “As the first Flexrotor operator in Canada, Voyageur is well positioned to introduce and operationalize this new technology within the realities of Canada’s operating environment. Voyageur’s long history of aircraft operations, maintenance, training, and sustainment expertise provides a solid foundation to support the safe and effective operation of this new technology. We look forward to offering our clients with a rapidly deployable and mission-ready ISR solution anywhere in Canada or beyond.”
Officials say the Airbus U030 Flexrotor is a Group 2 tactical Vertical Take-off and Landing (VTOL) uncrewed aircraft system capable of providing long-endurance ISR and multi-mission operations from both land and maritime environments.
They say that makes it well suited to Canada’s diverse geography, remote operating areas, maritime approaches – and in demanding environmental conditions.
“Bringing the Flexrotor into Canada with an experienced operator like Voyageur underscores Airbus’ commitment to delivering next-generation tactical capabilities to the region,” says Dwayne Charette, President of Airbus Helicopters in Canada. “As operational requirements continue to evolve, operators need systems that deliver greater reach, persistence, and situational awareness. Flexrotor’s advanced design and its potential to support crewed-uncrewed teaming represents a critical shift in how complex ISTAR missions can be executed. We are proud to support Voyageur as they introduce this proven capability to meet Canada’s evolving operational requirements.”
Key civilian and defence applications include border and land security surveillance, environmental monitoring, search and rescue support, maritime and Arctic operations, and other critical use cases where endurance and flexibility, with rapid deployment, are crucial.
Richard Coffinhttps://www.mynorthbaynow.com/Richard Coffin has been a reporter and news anchor on the radio in North Bay for over 25 years. From premiers to people in the neighbourhood, he enjoys connecting with newsmakers and writing stories that matter to area listeners on a variety of topics including healthcare, education, politics, sports and more.
