Following the announcement of the launch of the CORRIDAIR Project on September 8, 2023, as part of the Volaria event, Vertiko Mobility and Jaunt Air Mobility have joined forces to identify the various technical and technological aspects required to set up an infrastructure for the commercial operation of drones performing BVLOS (Beyond Visual Line of Sight) flights. 

The development of the ecosystem, comprising Vertiko Mobilité, Jaunt Air Mobility, Thales, CAE, ASDR, Taïga Telecom, Drone Express, SCI Canada and the real estate partners, was supported by the Consortium de recherche et d'innovation en aérospatiale au Québec (CRIAQ). "CRIAQ noted the team's ambition and collaborative approach and saw the project as a platform for addressing social acceptability issues in the field. Advanced aerial mobility must take these dimensions into account in its development," emphasizes Guillaume Côté, President and CEO of CRIAQ.

On February 12, Vertiko and Jaunt, accompanied by the Consortium de recherche et d'innovation en aérospatiale au Québec, received a positive response from the Ministère de l'Économie, de l'Innovation et de l'Énergie for non-refundable financial assistance of up to $2 million out of a total project cost of $4.55 million. The aim is to test, on a research and development corridor between Joliette and Manawan (CORRIDAIR), the infrastructure needed to operate BVLOS drone flights in complete safety.

"The CORRIDAIR project is an important step in placing Quebec at the forefront of drone and air cab technologies. By investing in this infrastructure, we're not only advancing the technology, we're also paving the way for viable, sustainable business models capable of meeting the needs of isolated regions," says Pierre Fitzgibbon, Minister of the Economy, Innovation and Energy, Minister responsible for Regional Economic Development and Minister responsible for the Greater Montreal Area.

"I'm proud to see the CORRIDAIR project being tested in the Joliette region. This collaboration illustrates just how much innovation can be achieved by combining the strengths of different stakeholders. Congratulations to Vertiko Mobilité and Jaunt Air Mobilité for this partnership, which will have promising spin-offs for our regions," adds François St-Louis, Member of Parliament for Joliette.

"The project's implementation in this specific area should ultimately enable drone transport of essential equipment from the Joliette hospital to the Atikamekw First Nation community of Manawan. This responds to a real need for accessibility, and we believe that the relevance of our developments will be strengthened, thus promoting the initiative's sustainability," says John Valley, President of Vertiko Mobilité. 

Thales, a major player in AAM (Advanced Air Mobility) integration and a world leader in ATM (Air Traffic Management), joined the team of collaborators on the project. Thales is the technology partner for Vantis, North Dakota's system of services enabling BVLOS UAS operations through the Northern Plains UAS Test Site (NPUASTS). With Vantis, Thales lends specific BVLOS know-how and validated data towards progressing the ecosystem created by Vertiko Mobilité while maximizing the return on investment. "It's extremely gratifying to work with a reference like Thales in a collaborative agreement that will lead us to Vertiko Mobilité's 2030 vision," says Yannick Richard, Executive Vice-President of Vertiko Mobilité.

"We're excited to collaborate with Vertiko Mobilité and Jaunt Air Mobility in developing real and economically viable business models for the AAM industry. Their roadmap 2030 vision is ambitious, and we look forward to contributing our real-world expertise," says Fadi Ghourani, Director of Partner Engagement, ATC and Digital Solutions for Aviation - Americas, Thales

For Jaunt Air Mobility, the Quebec government's awarding of financial assistance for this project is an important signal of the desire to see infrastructures put in place to make commercial drone and eVTOL services possible on the provincial territory. "Since the creation of Jaunt Air Mobility, our goal has been to make eVTOLs as tangible as possible. Developing the devices is one thing, but if you don't integrate them into an operating system, it will remain an inaccessible technology that is difficult to gain social acceptance. It was this very objective that sealed the partnership between Jaunt Air Mobility and Vertiko Mobilité right from the start," says Éric Côté, President of Jaunt Air Mobility Canada. 

About CORRIDAIR
The aim of the project is to set up an experimental air corridor between Joliette and Manawan to demonstrate technologies for low-risk automated out-of-line-of-sight (BVLOS) flights to deliver essential goods and services in isolated regions.

The development, integration and experimentation of the solutions proposed in the project will ultimately make it possible to offer a public utility service that is more robust and less costly than existing solutions.

About Vertiko Mobility
Vertiko Mobility is a Quebec-based company created in 2021, backed by a holding company and Quebec investors, whose vision is to reconnect regions with urban centers through the creation of a network of vertiports throughout Quebec and local networks for metropolises (advanced air mobility). To make this business model accessible, Vertiko Mobility's mission is to create an ecosystem of cutting-edge companies, and to implement an innovative real estate strategy that will accommodate the vertiport network as it develops. Visit the Vertiko website for more information : www.vertikomobilite.ca.  

About Jaunt
Jaunt Air Mobility is a transformative aerospace company headquartered in Dallas, Texas, with design and manufacturing located in Montreal, Canada. Jaunt is building the next generation of eVTOL (electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing) and hybrid-electric VTOL aircraft for faster, quieter, and safer travel over urban areas, moving people and cargo. Jaunt is the global leader in developing Slowed Rotor Compound (SRC) technology. Jaunt has teamed with Tier 1 aerospace partners to develop the Journey and work with global operators to provide this new form of travel. Jaunt offers an operationally efficient aircraft with a zero-carbon footprint. Jaunt is a recognized global brand of AIRO Group Holdings, Inc. (“AIRO”). AIRO is a mid-tier aerospace and defense company offering industry-leading technology and services in electric air mobility, advanced avionics, uncrewed air systems, and training uniquely capable of addressing a broad spectrum of aerospace markets. For more information, visit www.jauntairmobility.com and www.theairogroup.com.

About CRIAQ
The Consortium de recherche et d'innovation en aérospatiale au Québec (CRIAQ) is a unique model of collaborative research by companies of all sizes, involving universities, college technology transfer centers, and local and international public research centers. 

CRIAQ's mandate from the Quebec government's Ministère de l'Économie de l'Innovation et de l'Énergie goes far beyond the implementation of funding programs.

CRIAQ's mission is to enhance the competitiveness of Quebec's aerospace sector by stimulating technological innovation and business commitment through collaborative research and development.

Website : https://www.criaq.aero/

Source: Vertiko Mobilité