The Government of Canada has awarded Volatus Aerospace a five-year contract to supply Low-Cost Tactical Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) Uncrewed Aircraft Systems (UAS) to the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF).
Under the initial procurement tranche, Volatus will deliver 100 tactical ISR systems to support land forces across a wide range of missions. The agreement provides Canada, at its sole discretion, with options to acquire up to an additional 4,900 systems, creating a potential pathway for up to 5,000 systems in total. The procurement framework establishes a maximum price of C$5,000 per system and contemplates a maximum procurement envelope of C$25 million, though Volatus’ contracted pricing remains commercially confidential.
The selection represents the company’s first conversion of its qualification under the Government of Canada’s Defence Drone Initiative (DDI) Marketplace into a CAF contract. Volatus was chosen through the first Request for Proposal issued under Stream 1, Uncrewed and Autonomous Systems and counter-UxS. The company has qualified across all five DDI streams, enabling it to compete for future requirements involving uncrewed systems, communications, engineering and integration, testing and training, and innovation and experimentation.
Beyond providing aircraft, the contract covers an end-to-end tactical ISR solution that encompasses payloads, Ground Control Stations (GCS), data links, training, sustainment, spare parts, documentation, and software and firmware support.
Glen Lynch, Chief Executive Officer of Volatus, stated, “Canada is seeking sovereign, secure and supportable defence technologies that can be fielded efficiently and scaled as operational requirements evolve. It validates the strength of our integrated model, which extends beyond aircraft delivery to include payload integration, training, sustainment and technical support. We are proud to help strengthen Canada’s sovereign capacity to field and support operationally relevant uncrewed systems.”
Volatus said its Canadian manufacturing, integration and operational footprint, including its Innovation and Manufacturing Hub in Mirabel, Québec, and its Operations Control Centre in Vaughan, Ontario, positions the company to support Canada’s objective of building a resilient domestic defense industrial base.
Initial deliveries under the contract are expected to begin in the fourth quarter of 2026, while the optional systems are not committed purchases, backlog or revenue, and any exercise of the options remains at Canada’s sole discretion.
