Canada Tripartite Collaboration to Build Community-Level Drone and Satellite Service System

en.Wedoany.com Reported - On September 29, Canadian nonprofit organization Grey Jay, Montana First Nation, and German remote sensing company Mundialis signed a memorandum of cooperation, planning to build a community-participatory drone and satellite integrated service system for Indigenous and remote communities in Canada. The collaboration will combine Montana First Nation's drone operations with Mundialis's satellite imagery processing and geospatial data analysis capabilities, and plans to launch full commercial operations in 2027.

Under the collaboration arrangement, Montana First Nation Management Inc. is responsible for drone operations, Mundialis provides satellite data processing and geospatial analysis capabilities, and Grey Jay is responsible for supporting the development of aerial mobility and logistics systems. The three parties plan to launch an "Aerial Intelligence as a Service" model, combining high-resolution local data acquired by drones with large-scale remote sensing information from satellites for community-level monitoring and operations.

The scope of services covers drone delivery, forest fire monitoring, forestry and environmental management, and emergency response. Fire monitoring will use thermal imaging and multispectral drone imagery, combined with satellite maps to identify potential hotspots, monitor fuel load, and track fire boundaries; forestry and watershed management involves monitoring vegetation health, surface water, and environmental changes. Drones are also planned for use in cargo delivery to remote communities, medical logistics, search and rescue, and public safety missions.

Montana First Nation has already been providing drone services through its Akamihk Drones business. The business is wholly owned by Montana First Nation and operates under MFN Management Inc. It has previously conducted drone cargo pilot projects with Edmonton International Airport, Drone Delivery Canada, Apple Express, and BBE Supply Chain, and is advancing drone delivery applications between the airport and local medical facilities.

The three parties will subsequently build local technical and personnel capacity and expand services to other Indigenous communities, remote areas, and industrial clients. The first phase will focus on establishing the operational systems and business models required for community-owned drone and remote sensing services.