Eleanor Olszewski, the federal minister responsible for Prairies Economic Development Canada (PrairiesCan), continued her streak of Alberta funding announcements on Monday with a strategic investment into autonomous aircraft company Landing Zones Canada (LZC).
Eleanor Olszewski
“AI is creating a real revolution around the world, and Alberta businesses are not just keeping up—they’re leading the way.”
Olszewski announced a repayable investment of just over $1.1 million under the Regional Artificial Intelligence Initiative (RAII). The funding will support the Medicine Hat, Alta.-based company in enhancing the capabilities of its high-altitude drone that uses AI to autonomously return to base, called the GITPO Remotely Piloted Aircraft System.
“RAII funding will allow Landing Zones Canada to further refine and optimize this product by incorporating the latest artificial intelligence technology,” a statement released by PrairiesCan on March 2 read.
Enhancing and upgrading AI integration into LZC’s products could have practical civilian and defence benefits, according to the federal government. On the civilian side, the technology has the potential to revolutionize current atmospheric sampling practices by replacing costly and difficult-to-recover weather balloons and meteorological devices.
In Canada, radiosondes used in weather balloon meteorological monitoring are launched as frequently as twice per day, resulting in around 22,000 launches per year. When a balloon reaches a high enough altitude it typically bursts, sending technical components back to earth. A majority of those components are lost in difficult to reach terrain and are not recovered.
“Few Canadians know that current radiosondes and ozone sondes [the technical devices attached to weather balloons and other atmospheric monitoring equipment] are single-use devices,” said Spencer Fraser, founder and CEO of LZC, in a press release.
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From a defence perspective, LZC can offer a domestic, sovereign source of high-altitude-capable, AI-integrated, autonomous aircraft at a time when the federal government is investing heavily in fortifying Canadian defence supply chains and attempting to reinvigorate Canadian Forces’ capability.
“AI is creating a real revolution around the world, and Alberta businesses are not just keeping up—they’re leading the way in innovation and the development of dual-use technologies that solve real-world challenges and strengthen Canada’s sovereignty,” Olszewski said in a statement.
RAII funding for LZC is predicted to support 12 jobs.
BetaKit’s Prairies reporting is funded in part by YEGAF, a not-for-profit dedicated to amplifying business stories in Alberta.
Feature image courtesy Medicine Hat Talent Ambassador Program on LinkedIn.