AIRmarket and Alberta Invest $4.7M in Canada’s First RPAS Traffic Management SystemAccelerate the Drone Economy and Cut Emissions.

Edmonton, Alberta, Canada – AIRmarket Inc. (AIRmarket) is leading the development of an advanced communications network for drone control and airspace surveillance with the support of the Government of Alberta (GoA). This groundbreaking initiative lays the foundation for “Air Traffic Control for Drones” across Alberta, marking a first-of-its-kind deployment in Canada.

The AIRmarket project will oversee the joint investment of $4.7m+ to deploy RPAS Traffic Management (RTM) infrastructure & services, while conducting four (4) lighthouse Proof of Concepts (POC’s) with our project partners:

Alberta Wildfire, Olds College Smart Far
Kininburg Spray, Strathcona County Emergency
Services, University of Alberta, and Petroleum
Technology Alliance Canada.

This project will transform the forestry, agricultural, and emergency response industries by enabling RPAS Traffic Management (RTM) airspaces to support Beyond Line of Sight (BVLOS) drones for long-range operations. This enablement will indirectly support all Alberta industries for commercial drone use cases. See our blog post for further details on the project.

“With the generous funding from the Government of Alberta & Emissions Reduction Alberta (ERA), the
project delivers an Enablement Platform for reducing Emissions on Industrial Scale … and represents
a true transformational project for Alberta, and beyond….”
Lindsay Mohr, Founder & CEO of AIRmarket.

This initiative is shaping an entirely new industry segment, beginning in Alberta. The deployment of dedicated spectrum for RPAS connectivity in Command & Control (C2) will complement existing cellular networks, ensuring a robust and reliable infrastructure for Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) drone operations. Combined with the network of airspace surveillance capabilities, this effort establishes the foundation for RTM enabled airspace across Alberta. These innovative airspaces will support and facilitate proof-of-concept (POC) projects for wildfire management agriculture, and Drone as First Responder (DFR) applications, and driving industry adoption.

This initiative marks Canada’s first pan-provincial RTM implementation, aligned with NAV CANADA’s RTM Ecosystem: Concept of Operations, developed in collaboration with Transport Canada. By establishing Alberta as the most advantaged airspace in Canada for drone technology innovation, it creates a competitive environment to attract companies, drive investment, and generate high-quality jobs in the emerging RPAS sector.

By enabling Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) drone operations, this initiative will dramatically reduce emissions by replacing fuel-intensive aircraft and ground vehicles in forestry, agriculture, and emergency response. By enhancing operational efficiency and minimizing environment impact, it strengthens Alberta’s industries, positioning them as global leaders in sustainability and innovation.

Part of Government of Alberta Plans

The AIRmarket project is one of the 15 initiatives supported by the Government of Alberta (GoA) through Emissions Reduction Alberta. As part of this effort, the GoA is investing nearly $65 million to drive innovation, leveraging over $228 million in public and private investment. These strategic investments aim to advance the province’s economy, enhance competitiveness, and create jobs across both established and emerging industries.

About AIRmarket

AIRmarket has been at the forefront of revolutionizing airspace management in Canada through development of our RTM framework. AIRmarket is focused on establishing air traffic control drones for the safe integration of drones into national airspace with the purpose of BVLOS flight operations. Our mission is to be Canada’s first RTM Service Provider (RSP) recognized by Transport Canada & NAV Canada.