Voyageur becomes first Canadian customer for Airbus U030 Flexrotor UAS

Airbus Helicopters has secured its first U030 Flexrotor order in Canada after signing a purchase agreement with Voyageur Aviation at the Farnborough International Airshow. The deal makes Voyageur the launch customer for the vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) uncrewed aerial system (UAS) in the Canadian market.

The order follows a memorandum of understanding signed by the two companies at CANSEC 2026, aimed at supporting Canada’s defence capabilities. Voyageur said the acquisition will strengthen its intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) portfolio, enabling it to offer a rapidly deployable, mission-ready solution across Canada and internationally.

The Airbus U030 Flexrotor is a tactical VTOL drone designed for intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition and reconnaissance (ISTAR) missions across military, government and commercial applications. Weighing up to 25 kg, it can remain airborne for more than 12 hours and operates fully autonomously from land or sea, requiring a launch and recovery area of just 3.7 × 3.7 metres.

Already proven in demanding operational environments, including GPS-denied conditions, the Flexrotor can be equipped with electro-optical and other advanced sensors for a wide range of missions, including Arctic ice monitoring, wildfire surveillance, infrastructure inspection and law enforcement. Airbus said the platform also supports future crewed-uncrewed teaming operations, reflecting the growing role of autonomous systems in modern aviation and defence.