Airbus Helicopters signs first Canadian Flexrotor drone contract with Voyageur Aviation

Airbus Helicopters and Voyageur Aviation have signed an agreement at the Farnborough International Airshow for the first purchase of the Airbus U030 Flexrotor uncrewed aerial system (UAS) in Canada. Voyageur, a subsidiary of Chorus Aviation, becomes the official Canadian launch customer, positioning it to introduce the long‑endurance, VTOL drone for intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition and reconnaissance (ISTAR) missions across the country’s remote, coastal and Arctic regions.

The Flexrotor, a Group 2 tactical drone with a 12‑hour flight endurance and a 25 kg launch weight, is designed for both defence and civilian applications such as border security, environmental monitoring, search‑and‑rescue and maritime operations. The deal follows a memorandum of understanding signed earlier in May at CANSEC and expands Voyageur’s existing ISR capabilities.

Cory Cousineau, president of Voyageur, said the purchase marks a significant advancement in the company’s ISR strategy, while Dwayne Charette, president of Airbus Helicopters Canada, highlighted the platform’s potential for crewed‑uncrewed teaming and its role in meeting Canada’s evolving operational requirements.