Volatus Aerospace Wins Transport Canada Approval to Scale Automated Drone Services

Volatus Aerospace is charting new skies for Canada’s drone sector. On September 3, 2025, the Toronto-based aerial solutions company announced it has secured a key regulatory green light: a Special Flight Operations Certificate (SFOC) from Transport Canada. This authorization enables Volatus to take a major step forward in scaling Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) drone operations, supported by advanced radar and airspace management technology.

At the heart of the approval is MatrixSpace’s next-generation radar system, a compact, low-power innovation capable of detecting smaller, non-cooperative air traffic—including other drones—that typically escapes traditional ground-based radar. When paired with Kongsberg Geospatial’s IRIS Terminal software and Volatus’ own remote Operations Control Center, this integration creates a reliable framework for automated detect-and-avoid capabilities. The result: BVLOS operations that can be scaled into subscription-based, automated drone-in-a-box networks, wide-area surveillance, and autonomous services.

“This SFOC builds upon milestones such as Volatus’ approved BVLOS medical delivery operations at Halton Healthcare,” explained Glen Lynch, CEO of Volatus Aerospace. “With our partners, we are expanding these capabilities by integrating a lightweight and scalable detect and avoid system. This combination makes it practical to move from specialized projects into wide-scale deployments like drone-in-a-box networks, giving customers safe, reliable, and scalable autonomous services.”

Unlocking the Drone-in-a-Box Market

The global drone-in-a-box sector, valued at just over US$1 billion in 2024, is expected to grow five- to nine-fold by the early 2030s. Forecasts suggest annual growth rates between 20% and 23%¹, underscoring the commercial potential for companies like Volatus that can deliver safe, scalable solutions.

“This approval represents a major step toward scalable autonomous drone operations,” said Greg Waters, Co-founder & CEO, MatrixSpace. “Our compact radar technology is designed for exactly these kinds of applications, and Volatus is leading the way in bringing drone-in-a-box and automated services to the Canadian market.”

With Transport Canada’s approval in hand, Volatus is positioned to capitalize on this growth. Automated services could soon expand across industries—from utilities and infrastructure security to forestry management, wildfire monitoring, and environmental oversight. For sectors where continuous, real-time data and surveillance are vital, drone-in-a-box solutions offer a transformative alternative to traditional operations.

“We’re pleased to support Volatus with our IRIS Terminal platform as they expand advanced BVLOS operations,” said Jordan Freed, President and Managing Director, Kongsberg Geospatial. “By integrating real-time airspace awareness into their Operations Control Center, Volatus is demonstrating how safe and scalable drone services can be delivered for commercial customers.”

Building on a Strong Regulatory Foundation

This is not Volatus’ first foray into BVLOS. The company already holds nationwide SFOCs covering operations in low-risk and atypical airspace, as well as high-altitude and nighttime missions. These approvals, granted at Transport Canada’s advanced regulatory risk level, have set the stage for the company’s next leap into automated networks.

Now, by layering radar-based airspace awareness onto its operational capabilities, Volatus is creating a scalable platform that can handle more complex missions with confidence. It’s a move that strengthens the company’s position in both domestic and international markets, while setting a precedent for what regulated, large-scale drone services in Canada could look like.

As global demand for autonomous aerial solutions accelerates, Volatus Aerospace’s approval marks not just a regulatory milestone but a signal that Canada is ready to embrace the future of automated flight.