Estimated reading time 2 minutes, 56 seconds.
Transport Canada has approved FIXAR’s drone design for flights in Canada, meaning the FIXAR can start flying missions in controlled airspace and near people — opening the skies to commercial and industrial clients. This breakthrough occurs as the company officially launches its product in the North American market.
The approval means that Transport Canada is satisfied the FIXAR drone meets federal requirements in accordance with Part IX of the Canadian Aviation Regulations (CARs) and that this remotely piloted aircraft system (RPAS) is suitable for advanced operations in both controlled and uncontrolled airspace in Canada.
“We are thrilled with this approval and to bring the unique FIXAR VTOL solution to North America,” said Vasily Lukashov, FIXAR chief executive officer and inventor. “This design has all of the benefits of both quadcopter and fixed-wing drones, with none of their downsides.”
The FIXAR takes off like a helicopter and flies like an airplane. Technically, this is referred to as a fixed-wing vertical take-off and landing device, or VTOL. It’s a design that offers the convenience of a quadcopter but has the range and efficiency associated with a traditional winged design. It can take off and land anywhere, and no cumbersome launchers or capture devices are required.
Most VTOL drones with wings require that the angle of the motors change when transitioning from vertical to horizontal flight. FIXAR uses a patented fixed angle rotor system, meaning fewer moving parts or potential points of failure. Transitions are seamless, and all motors are in use throughout missions. Unlike designs that shut down motors during forward flight, the FIXAR carries no “dead weight” during missions.
This configuration, in conjunction with its two-kilogram payload capacity, makes the FIXAR ideal for a multitude of applications. These tasks include: aerial photography and mapping/photogrammetry, laser scanning (LiDAR), last-mile delivery, precision agriculture, critical infrastructure monitoring and more.
“These drones have a simple but superb design, something I appreciate as a professional commercial pilot,” said Philippe Saint-Martin, who is the FIXAR distributor for Canada. “The moment I saw one of these fly, I knew they would fill an obvious void in the RPAS world.”
The FIXAR drones, designed by Vasily Lukashov and manufactured in Latvia, also utilize closed-Source software and proprietary hardware for additional safety and security, including data integrity. The product offers a stable and reliable platform that’s already gaining interest from service providers globally.
FIXAR products are now available in Canada through a partnership with Videodrone.
