Drone Delivery Canada successfully tests the Condor drone
The Condor is currently the company's largest drone with an expected range of 200km (124mi) and a payload capacity of 180kg (396lb) and is fully integ
Drone Delivery Canada successfully tests the Condor drone at the Alma, Quebec Unmanned Aerial System Centre of Excellence. On September 1, 2020, DDC had announced successful testing of numerous critical aspects of the Condor, including: triple-redundant communications system (satellite, cellular, 900MHz RF); triple-redundant navigational guidance system; triple-redundant autopilot system; monitoring of unmanned flights remotely from DDC's Operations Control Centre in Vaughan, Ontario; general flight stability and performance; and fuel consumption characteristics.
The drone technology company tested many of these aspects again in October, in addition to numerous other attributes of the Condor: multiple unique flying patterns, multiple velocity vectors and altitude profiles, sound pressure levels, engine tuning characteristics, maintenance procedures, logging of flight data, and extended endurance testing in varying environmental conditions.
DDC expects to complete further Condor testing in Q4 2020 in preparation for commercialisation. Pursuant to proposed Transport Canada regulations, the Condor would not require a formal aircraft type-certification when operated in specific lower-risk (remote) locations, as is intended. Commercialisation in support of Covid-19 related activities and also remote area deliveries would commence for 2021 projects once DDC has completed testing. Flight approvals would be requested through Transport Canada following the straightforward and well-established Special Flight Operations Certificate (SFOC) process that DDC has successfully used in the past. DDC currently has three Condor aircraft, one of which is being prepared for future commercial customer operations.
The Condor is currently the company's largest drone with an expected range of 200km (124mi) and a payload capacity of 180kg (396lb) and is fully integrated with the Company's patented FLYTE software system. The turnkey solution is marketed in a managed service SaaS business model in Canada and as a licensed managed service internationally.
Michael Zahra, president and CEO of DDC said, We are very pleased with the ongoing successful testing of our Condor delivery drone. We continue to make favourable progress with the Robin XL as well. The Sparrow, Robin XL and Condor all have unique use-case applications based on range and payload capabilities, and we are excited to have the two additional models coming to market. Robin XL and Condor pre-selling efforts are underway and market response has been very favourable in Canada and internationally, and we are working on a number of specific prospective opportunities for both.
