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October 29, 2019 | Cargo, YEG News Releases

Strategic partnership with Drone Delivery Canada to utilize drone technology and modernize cargo industry

A Drone Delivery Canada “Sparrow” drone, capable of carrying up to 10lbs.

A Drone Delivery Canada “Sparrow” drone, capable of carrying up to 10lbs.

October 29, 2019 (Edmonton, AB) – Edmonton International Airport (EIA) is continuing its national leadership in the integration of drone technology at airports through a new strategic partnership that will focus on drone-based cargo delivery services.

EIA and Drone Delivery Canada (DDC) have entered into an agreement and will work towards making Edmonton’s airport into a hub for drone cargo deliveries in western and northern Canada. The agreement is assisted by Air Canada through its long-term commercial relationship with EIA. Air Canada is also a sales agent of DDC through its cargo branch Air Canada Cargo. This is expected to be the world’s first regularly scheduled drone delivery service from an airport. EIA is a leader in working with drone operators and with aviation regulatory organizations, pioneering some of the firsts in Canadian Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS or drones) aviation in active, controlled airspace, including:

“EIA is proud to partner with industry leader DDC to establish Canada’s first airport drone delivery site and drastically modernize cargo logistics and supply chain solutions. Together with our long-standing partnership with Air Canada, we look forward to expanding DDC’s network of customers at EIA’s Airport City, the Edmonton Metropolitan Region, and other strategic partners. DDC’s DroneSpot at EIA elevates intermodal connectivity to support the growing E-Commerce, Pharmaceuticals, Courier and Oil & Gas sectors. Thanks to our partners like Nav Canada and Transport Canada, our airport is leading in embracing innovation,” said Myron Keehn, EIA VP of Air Service and Commercial Development.

As customers and routes are identified, and routes are approved by the regulatory authorities, DDC will deploy its DroneSpot takeoff and landing zones as well as additional drone flight infrastructure on EIA sites, and deploy its Sparrow cargo drone, with a capacity of up to 10lbs. The first route will be on a defined flight route within EIA’s site.

EIA and cargo partners have already expanded EIA’s Cargo Village infrastructure and the Alberta Aerospace and Technology Centre (AATC) at EIA has, and continues to, develop a number of cutting-edge technologies. This makes a RPAS drone logistics hub a logical next step for the airport.

DDC has joined the AATC and will look to include EIA into their operations as they build and operate drone delivery routes in Canada. In its role as sales agent to DDC, Air Canada has agreed to sell, market and promote DDC’s drone delivery services, leveraging its expertise in the air freight and logistics, brand presence and sales network.

“We are pleased to be working with a leader like EIA to further our expertise in operating at an airport in controlled airspace and this relationship will bring tremendous logistics benefits to the region,” said Michael Zahra, President & CEO of DDC.

All operations will be conducted in accordance with the Canadian Aviation Regulations and Transport Canada flight authorizations. Flights will be remotely operated and monitored by DDC from its new commercial operations centre located in Vaughan, Ontario. The state-of-the-art operations center is a 16,000 square foot facility, capable of managing 1,500 drones on behalf of commercial paying customers globally. DDC expects to begin providing drone delivery services from EIA under the strategic partnership in early 2020.

About Edmonton International Airport

Edmonton International Airport is a self-funded, not-for-profit corporation whose mandate is to drive economic prosperity for the Edmonton Metropolitan Region. EIA is Canada’s fifth-busiest airport by passenger traffic and the largest major Canadian airport by land area. EIA offers non-stop connections to destinations across Canada, the US, Mexico, the Caribbean and Europe. EIA is a major economic driver, with an economic output of over $3.2 billion, supporting over 26,000 jobs. EIA’s Airport City propels new jobs, tourism and economic diversification – and creates a destination in and around EIA, featuring entertainment, e-commerce, retail, hospitality, cargo/logistics, bio-pharma, light manufacturing and many other industries. EIA is focused on digital strategy to ensure it becomes the airport of the future. For more information, please visit: flyeia.com, follow @flyeia on Twitter, Instagram, Linkedin or Facebook.

About Drone Delivery Canada Corp.

Drone Delivery Canada Corp. is a drone technology company focused on the design, development and implementation of its proprietary logistics software platform, using drones. The Company’s platform will be used as a Software as a Service (SaaS) model for government and corporate organizations globally. Drone Delivery Canada Corp. is a publicly listed company trading on the TSX.V Exchange under the symbol FLT, on the U.S. OTC Q B market with Nasdaq International Designation under the symbol TAKOF and on the Frankfurt exchange in Germany under the symbol A2AMGZ.

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Media Contact: 

Chris Chodan, EIA
c: 780 700 3596
e: cchodan@flyeia.com

Richard Buzbuzian, Capital Markets, DDC
Telephone: (647) 501-3290,
Email: richard@dronedeliverycanada.com

Bill Mitoulas, Investor Relations, DDC
Telephone: (416) 837-7147,
Email: billm@dronedeliverycanada.com

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