Voyageur Orders Airbus Flexrotor for Canadian ISR

Canada’s Voyageur Aviation has placed an order for an unspecified number of Airbus Helicopters’ U030 Flexrotor uncrewed aerial system. The deal, signed at the Farnborough Airshow on Tuesday, will make the Ontario-based charter company the Canadian launch operator for the intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) platform.

The U030 is a high-endurance, tactical vertical takeoff and landing UAS engineered for intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition, and reconnaissance (ISTAR) operations for military, parapublic, and commercial use cases. It has a maximum launch weight of 55 pounds and can fly for around 12 hours.

Airbus designed the aircraft for expeditionary missions demanding a minimal operational footprint. It can operate fully autonomous launch and recovery maneuvers from either land or sea using a 12-sq-ft site, which the manufacturer said will make it well suited to Canada’s vast land and maritime environments.

“This purchase represents a significant advancement in Voyageur’s ISR strategy and an important first for the Canadian market,” said Voyageur president Cory Cousineau. “As the first Flexrotor operator in Canada, Voyageur is well positioned to introduce and operationalize this new technology within the realities of Canada’s operating environment. Voyageur’s long history of aircraft operations, maintenance, training, and sustainment expertise provides a solid foundation to support the safe and effective operation of this new technology. We look forward to offering our clients a rapidly deployable and mission-ready ISR solution anywhere in Canada or beyond.”

Voyageur is owned by the Chorus Aviation group, which also includes regional airline Jazz. The U030 Flexrotor is on display at the Farnborough show this week.