Volatus Aerospace has integrated Trimble‘s PX-1 RTX solution into its commercial delivery drone service to ensure highly accurate positioning and heading during remote operations.
The technology utilizes high-performance GNSS-inertial hardware alongside Trimble’s CenterPoint RTX corrections. This combination provides real-time, centimeter-level positioning and precise inertial-derived true heading measurements. By utilizing these enhanced positioning redundancies, Volatus can reduce operational risks typically associated with magnetic interference or poor sensor performance.
The integration is currently supporting critical operations at the Edmonton International Airport in Alberta, Canada. Volatus operates under strict guidelines from Transport Canada and Nav Canada regarding airspace entry, altitude, and speed. Specifically, the approved flight corridor requires drones to maintain a precise 50-foot altitude when crossing active airplane arrival routes. The PX-1 RTX hardware provides the accuracy necessary for takeoff and landing while ensuring the aircraft remains within these tight vertical and horizontal boundaries.
Greg Colacitti, COO of Volatus Aerospace, said, “Volatus conducts daily deliveries of medical supplies from Edmonton International Airport to the Montana First Nations Clinic, routinely operating beneath an active runway glide path. Integrating Trimble’s PX-1 RTX technology into our Canary delivery drone system has been a game changer. The enhanced positional accuracy within tightly defined delivery zones significantly strengthens the safety case for our operations and further supports the reliability and scalability of our service.”
For the broader drone industry, this implementation represents a shift toward more reliable autonomous logistics. Precise positioning supports compliance with civil air navigation requirements, which is a prerequisite for scaling Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) missions in shared airspace.
Joe Hutton, Director, Inertial Technology and Airborne Solutions at Trimble, added, “Integrating the Trimble PX-1 RTX into its first commercial application marks a significant milestone for both Trimble and the drone delivery industry. The PX-1 RTX is changing commercial drone package delivery by providing greater precision and reliability, which are essential for reducing costs, minimizing environmental impact, increasing operational efficiencies and enhancing safety.”
