Volatus receives Transport Canada approval for Canary RPAS
The approval allows Volatus to continue verification activities and move closer to submitting a formal Safety Assurance Declaration under Canada’s RPAS framework.
Volatus Aerospace has received Transport Canada’s Letter of Acceptance under the new Pre-Validated Declaration process for its Canary Remotely Piloted Aircraft System, making it one of the first companies in Canada to receive this approval.
The company announced the development on July 8, 2026. The acceptance relates to the Canary RPAS and supports Volatus Aerospace’s progress in bringing autonomous aviation systems into commercial use in Canada.
According to the company, the Canary is the only RPAS to meet all of Transport Canada’s safety requirements for Beyond Visual Line-of-Sight operations in populated areas using onboard detect-and-avoid technology, without needing an external detect-and-avoid system.
Glen Lynch, Chief Executive Officer of Volatus, said the achievement reflects years of work in engineering, manufacturing, operations and regulatory engagement. He said that as autonomous aviation moves from test projects to commercial use, customers and governments are looking for trusted partners that can provide complete systems ready for regulatory approval.
The Letter of Acceptance means Transport Canada has accepted Volatus’ proposed approach for meeting the safety requirements for its integrated RPAS platform. The Canary combines aircraft design, onboard detect-and-avoid capability, autonomous flight technology, command and control systems, operational procedures and supporting safety features into one operational platform.
Volatus said the Letter of Acceptance is needed before it can complete verification activities and submit a formal Safety Assurance Declaration under Canada’s RPAS Safety Assurance framework.
The company said the milestone supports its long-term strategy of building an integrated autonomous aviation platform that includes aircraft manufacturing, autonomy software, commercial operations, mission integration, training and regulatory expertise.
Volatus added that the development demonstrates continued progress in its growth strategy as commercial BVLOS operations expand in Canada and internationally.