Transcript
It’s great to be challenged in your day-to-day job.
I’ve always been interested in data and geographic information systems, and then fusing that with drone technology.
The ability to leverage these incredible machines to support humanity, I think, is an incredible thing.
My name is Wade Hawkins. I’m a principal researcher at the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology’s Center for Innovation and Research in Unmanned Systems. (CIRUS)
Here at CIRUS, we’re currently working with Stoney Nakoda Nation, remote indigenous communities west of Calgary, on a project to utilize drones for the delivery of medical equipment and medicine, so they can receive healthcare and supplies that much faster.
Access to healthcare, supplies primarily, can be challenging, especially in a situation where there might be an elder that might be closed off because of winter road conditions.
We can send medication, like insulin, medical devices like ultrasounds, to that community location and provide them with that type of delivery service.
This is really breaking down the barriers.
One of the key goals of this project is to be able to generate beyond visual line-of-sight certification and flights to support the project.
The pilot no longer sees the drone and doesn’t see what’s around the drone, so you need to be able to communicate within your team, you need to know everything about the drone and the airspace, and you need to be able to react very, very quickly.
We’re working very collaboratively with Transport Canada to ensure that we have all the proper documentation in place plus we’re also integrating detect and avoid systems, and universal traffic management systems.
It’s a more stressful flight, for sure, but if we can successfully go beyond visual line-of-sight, then we have the ability to impact many more lives and many more areas from a drone standpoint.
I think the future is incredibly bright. It’s an incredible industry to be a part of.
We like to feel that the work we’re doing at CIRUS to push BVLOS forward is hopefully going to support other groups needing to do something similar.
If we can go beyond visual line-of-sight to support remote communities and provide them with medical resources, that’s a big win.
I think that’s worth the challenge that we’re encountering.