A Drone Delivery Canada drone on a runway. (CNW Group/Air Canada)
Air Canada is embracing commercial drone delivery: The operator reached an agreement with Drone Delivery Canada to sell the latter’s services through its cargo arm.
Under the agreement, Air Canda Cargo will market and pursue sales of Drone Delivery Canada’s services across the country, giving the cargo airline a broader suite of offerings for customers. Drone Delivery Canada, meanwhile, will benefit from the increased exposure inherent to partnering with an airline such as Air Canada’s reach and resources.
“Air Canada is pleased to partner with Drone Delivery Canada, a leading player in today’s emerging drone industry,” said Tim Strauss, Air Canada’s vice president of cargo. “We believe drone technology has the potential to offer the cargo community cost-effective solutions to complex issues related to supply chain distribution in non-traditional markets, including remote communities in Canada.”
Drone delivery is a particularly important in countries such as Canada and Australia that have communities whose lack of infrastructure make them difficult to serve. Drone Delivery Canada has been approved for more than 150,000 routes across the country. In late 2017, the company started delivering goods and supplies to the Moose Cree First Nation community in northern Ontario, a first for Canada.
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