Drone Delivery Canada (DDC) has announced it will pursue delivery contracts in a range of new sectors, including mining, agriculture, forestry and construction.
In an April 2 news release, the company said as it moves toward commercial operation, it would look for opportunities in eight industries: health care, pharmaceuticals, oil and gas, mining, agriculture, forestry, construction, and with courier companies.
In February, DDC unveiled its newest drone, the Condor, which is capable of carrying 400 pounds of payload and travelling 200 kilometres.
“The opportunities in front of us are not only with the many Canadian First Nations and Inuit remote communities, but also with a broad range of government, commercial and industrial applications globally,” said Michael Zahra, the company’s vice-president of operations and strategy, in the release.
“We are also seeing an increase in traction with our international customers globally as our drone delivery system continues to be validated globally.
“Our proven system is seen as a commercially viable delivery infrastructure solution to companies looking to reduce costs and dramatically improve logistics.”
Last December, the Vaughan, Ont.-based company signed a $2.5-million contract with Moose Cree First Nation – its first commercial agreement – to deliver letters, general parcels, medical supplies and other general necessities between the communities of Moosonee and Moose Factory, located roughly 19 kilometres south of James Bay in Ontario’s Far North.
The program is expected to roll out in the second quarter of 2019.
In a recent video, the company said with 1,000 remote communities in Canada, its goal over the next five years is to achieve 20 per cent market penetration, equivalent to agreements with 200 communities.
