The future of aviation will depend on cleaner, smarter and more efficient technologies.
To help advance this transformation, Concordia announced two new strategic partnerships at the Farnborough International Airshow that will accelerate research and innovation in advanced air mobility and uncrewed aircraft systems.
Through two memorandums of understanding with ADM Aéroports de Montréal and Volatus Aerospace, Concordia's Volt-Age research program will expand collaborations that bridge academic research with industry expertise to develop, test and commercialize next-generation aviation technologies.
Advancing advanced air mobility with ADM
The agreement with ADM will bring the expertise of Volt-Age to YMX Innovation, ADM's aerospace research and technology development hub, located at YMX Tech Park.
The collaborators aim to accelerate research in electrification, energy systems, energy storage and smart infrastructure to support the next generation of advanced air mobility solutions.
Yves Beauchamp, president and CEO of ADM Aéroports de Montréal, says the expanded collaboration will bolster Canada's aerospace innovation ecosystem.
"By expanding our collaboration with Volt-Age, we are strengthening YMX Innovation's electrification expertise and creating an even stronger environment for developing and transferring the technologies that will shape the future of aviation."
The memorandum of understanding establishes a framework for applied research, technology demonstration and real-world validation projects. The partners also plan to develop new living labs, testing platforms and technology demonstrators that will foster collaboration among academia, industry and institutional partners.
These collaborations will accelerate technology transfer, support the creation of new companies and help deploy Canadian-made solutions that contribute to the future of aviation and the energy transition.Advancing next-generation drone technologies
The second memorandum of understanding, with Volatus Aerospace, establishes a strategic framework for collaboration on energy technologies for uncrewed aircraft systems.
The partners will combine academic research, operational testing and industry expertise to accelerate the development, validation and commercialization of Canadian technologies for civil, commercial and strategic drone platforms. They will also explore opportunities for applied research, technology demonstration, talent development and jointly funded strategic initiatives.
The collaboration also supports Canada's technological sovereignty by strengthening domestic expertise in a sector that is becoming increasingly important for critical infrastructure, public safety, environmental monitoring, Arctic operations and dual-use applications. By supporting a more resilient Canadian supply chain for strategic drone components, the partners aim to reduce reliance on foreign entities of concern while advancing Canadian innovation.
Glen Lynch, CEO of Volatus Aerospace, says the partnership will help accelerate the commercialization of Canadian technologies for uncrewed aircraft systems.
"By connecting Volt-Age's research capabilities with Volatus' operational, testing and manufacturing infrastructure, we can help move promising energy technologies from the laboratory into real-world aircraft and operational environments. This collaboration supports our broader objective of building sovereign Canadian capabilities for commercial, public safety and strategic applications."
Accelerating Canada's aerospace innovation ecosystem
Together, the two partnerships strengthen Volt-Age's role in advancing technologies that support the future of aviation. By bringing together researchers, companies and institutional partners, the collaborations will accelerate technology transfer, support the creation of new companies and help deploy Canadian-made solutions that contribute to the future of aviation and the energy transition.
Tim Evans, Concordia's vice-president of research and innovation, says the two agreements reflect Volt-Age's collaborative approach to accelerating innovation.
"These partnerships demonstrate how Volt-Age brings together researchers, industry and institutional partners to accelerate innovation where Canada can lead. By connecting research with real-world testing and commercialization, we're helping develop the technologies that will shape the future of aviation."
Learn more about Volt-Age.
