The National Research Council of Canada (NRC) is partnering with the Canadian Coast Guard to trial the use of commercial unmanned aerial vehicles in its coastal patrol operations.
The Coast Guard will deploy UAVs from ING Robotics Aviation with electro-optic/infra-red payloads. NRC will analyse the data collected in the operations, with the aim of developing a roadmap for the potential integration of UAVs into the Coast Guard’s day-to-day operations.
UAVs have already been used for technology demonstrations focusing on the Coast Guard’s operations along the St Laurence River.
“NRC supports the emergence of unmanned aerial systems for their potential to improve capabilities and reduce costs in several key Canadian industries,” says Ian Potter, NRC’s vice-president of engineering. “This project is an excellent opportunity to investigate the ability of these systems to enhance Canadian Coast Guard operations.”
Source: Flight Global