• 04 Nov 2023 12:09 AM
• 0

Vertiko, Jaunt to Serve Indigenous Communities

Quebec-based Vertiko Mobility announced on Sept. 10 that it plans to develop drone services and eVTOL flights, based on Jaunt Air Mobility’s cargo drone and passenger air taxi. Vertiko will develop a research and development corridor linking the Quebec city of Joliette to the nearby Atikamekw First Nation of Manawan. “The deployment of an air corridor will address a critical need in the Manawan community for faster access to health care and medicines,” the company stated. Vertiko began working with Jaunt Air Mobility — based in Dallas, Texas, and Montreal, Quebec — in 2021, as well as Montreal-based CAE. Three major areas of research and development are underway: the drone or air taxi, the vertiport, and the control and management system. “This achievement opens the door to a new world of opportunity and collaboration for players in the Canadian aerospace ecosystem,” the press release stated. The development of the ecosystem is supported by Aéro Montréal, the Consortium de Recherche et d’Innovation en Aérospatiale du Québec (CRIAQ), as well as the Drone Niche of Excellence.