Airbus Helicopters and Voyageur Aviation have signed an agreement for Canada’s first purchase order of the Airbus U030 Flexrotor Uncrewed Aerial System (UAS).
Signed at the Farnborough International Airshow, the contract establishes Voyageur as the official Canadian launch customer for the platform. The agreement closely follows a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between Airbus and Voyageur at CANSEC in May 2026 aimed at supporting Canada’s defense objectives.
The Airbus U030 Flexrotor is a high-endurance, tactical Vertical Take-Off and Landing (VTOL) UAS engineered for Intelligence, Surveillance, Target acquisition, and Reconnaissance (ISTAR) operations across military, parapublic, and commercial sectors.
The aircraft features a maximum launch weight of 25 kg (55 lbs) and delivers an operational flight endurance of 12 hours or more in standard configurations. Designed for expeditionary missions requiring a minimal operational footprint, the Flexrotor executes fully autonomous launch and recovery maneuvers from land or sea using a 3.7 by 3.7 metre (12 by 12 ft.) area, making it suitable for Canada’s land and maritime environments.
The Flexrotor has also been deployed in harsh, high-threat, and GPS-denied environments and can support parapublic and commercial missions. Its payload capacity supports electro-optical systems and advanced sensors for applications including Arctic ice navigation, forest fire surveillance, infrastructure monitoring, and law enforcement.
Cory Cousineau, President of Voyageur, commented, “This purchase represents a significant advancement in Voyageur’s ISR strategy and an important first for the Canadian market. As the first Flexrotor operator in Canada, Voyageur is well positioned to introduce and operationalise this new technology within the realities of Canada’s operating environment. Voyageur’s long history of aircraft operations, maintenance, training, and sustainment expertise provides a solid foundation to support the safe and effective operation of this new technology. We look forward to offering our clients with a rapidly deployable and mission-ready ISR solution anywhere in Canada or beyond.”
Dwayne Charette, President of Airbus Helicopters in Canada, added, “Bringing the Flexrotor into Canada with an experienced operator like Voyageur underscores Airbus’ commitment to delivering next-generation tactical capabilities to the region. As operational requirements continue to evolve, operators need systems that deliver greater reach, persistence, and situational awareness. Flexrotor’s advanced design and its potential to support crewed-uncrewed teaming represents a critical shift in how complex ISTAR missions can be executed. We are proud to support Voyageur as they introduce this proven capability to meet Canada’s evolving operational requirements.”
