Defence R&D project gets $9M in federal support

Ottawa, ON – Aerospace company MIST Mobility Integrated Systems Technology (MMIST) has been awarded a $9-million repayable loan from the federal government. The funding is to support a $30-million project to develop unmanned aerial vehicle technology.

The second generation of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) is being developed, which operate pilot-free and can be used to deliver medical assistance and emergency food aid to remote communities. The project will help advance the capabilities of the company’s Sherpa and SnowGoose unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). The Sherpa is a precision guided parachute system for cargo delivery, while the SnowGoose is a powered UAV that can launch both from the ground and in the air. Both UAVs carry a range of electronic sensors and systems that accurately guide them to their intended destinations.

This project will seek to improve the endurance, cargo capacity, and flight-planning systems of both models as well as develop a self-launch capability for the SnowGoose. By increasing the versatility of the SnowGoose it will be possible for it to transport larger loads of such items as food, emergency relief supplies, fuel, and equipment, enabling it to better meet the demands of domestic and oversees missions.