InDro is pleased to reveal more details of its involvement with the Drone Transport Initiative (DTI), an ambitious and long-term project to deliver essential medical supplies to rural, remote and Indigenous communities.
InDro is working with multiple partners, including the University of British Columbia (UBC) and multiple First Nations, health, and government partners. The project will involve long-range BVLOS flights to partner communities using a fixed-wing, large payload VTOL aircraft and Detect and Avoid technology. While the initial goal is to get much-needed medical supplies to two remote communities and assess results over time, the ultimate goal is to create a scalable system that can eventually benefit a far greater number of remote communities where timely access to medical supplies is an issue.
UBC took the wraps off the project with the following news release:
The UBC Faculty of Medicine has received $2.8 million from Pacific Economic Development Canada (PacifiCan) — the dedicated federal economic development agency for B.C. — to expand a community-led initiative using drones to transport essential medical supplies to rural, remote and Indigenous communities.
The funding will support the Drone Transport Initiative (DTI), a partnership between UBC, Stellat’en First Nation, the Village of Fraser Lake, First Nations Health Authority, Carrier Sekani Family Services, Rural Coordination Centre of BC (RCCbc) and other health, government and industry partners.
First launched in 2020, the DTI is exploring how drone technology can help overcome the long distances and transportation barriers that can make it difficult for people in rural and remote communities to access medications, laboratory services and other essential health supplies.
Above: In summer 2026, the Drone Transport Initiative held advanced drone training for members of Stellat’en First Nation, Nadleh Whut’en First Nation and the Village of Fraser Lake. InDro’s Chief of Flight Ops, Dr. Eric Saczuk, is on the far right. Below: Starting spring 2027, the project will begin testing larger, longer-range drones like this fixed-wing VTOL for medical supply delivery
MULTI-PHASE PROJECT
The initiative was co-created with communities, with a focus on developing solutions that respond to local needs, build local capacity, complement existing health care supply chains and enhance trust and relationships between partners.
“We see this project as having a positive and lasting impact on our community. Improving access to new and innovative health care services for our members is exciting,” says Chief Robert Michell of Stellat’en First Nation. “By strengthening health care through projects such as this, we hope it will help improve health outcomes, enhance quality of life, and build a healthier, stronger community for generations to come. We are proud to be a part of this project.”
In its initial pilot phase, the DTI completed more than 1,200 successful five-kilometre drone flights between the Village of Fraser Lake and Stellat’en First Nation, delivering prescription medicines and medical supplies weighing up to four kilograms.
Over the next three years, the partners will expand this work by developing, testing and training community members to operate a more extensive drone network connecting more communities.
New longer-range drones, capable of carrying up to 15 kilograms and travelling up to 400 kilometres will improve access to medications, laboratory services and other essential health supplies across greater distances. The partners will explore deliveries between airports and health facilities, direct delivery to patients and potential applications for emergency response.
“This initiative is a remarkable example of what can happen when communities, researchers, industry, and other partners work together to solve a real-world challenge,” said the Honourable Gregor Robertson, Minister of Housing and Infrastructure and Minister responsible for Pacific Economic Development Canada (PacifiCan). “With support from PacifiCan, this B.C. innovation is ready to go further, connecting more rural, remote and Indigenous communities with essential health supplies while creating new capabilities and opportunities for people living in Northern B.C.”
NEW SKILLS, NEW OPPORTUNITIES
In addition to transporting critical medical supplies, the DTI is bringing technical training and employment opportunities to remote B.C. communities. Over summer 2026, 14 members of Stellat’en First Nation, Nadleh Whut’en First Nation and the Village of Fraser Lake received hands-on training in drone operations and related technologies. Two local drone pilots and one manager have also been hired, with further training and workforce development planned as the project progresses.
“We are incredibly proud of the success of the Drone Transport Initiative, and honoured to be collaborating with Indigenous and local partners in strengthening medical supply chains and fostering community-led innovation,” said Dr. Dean Jones, Vice Dean, Health Engagement, UBC Faculty of Medicine. “By centering innovation in relationship and community, the DTI is bridging barriers to healthcare and building a sustainable, more equitable future for B.C.’s remote communities.”
The DTI is also bringing together more interdisciplinary expertise from across UBC. Through the university’s Drone Transport Initiative Research Cluster, researchers in medicine, pharmaceutical sciences, engineering, computer science and other disciplines are working alongside community, health system and industry partners to tackle challenges ranging from medical cargo and drone design to implementation and evaluation.
The next major milestone for the initiative will come in spring 2027, when the first larger drone from Canadian industry partner InDro Robotics is expected to arrive in participating communities.
Below: Students from Fraser Lake Elementary Secondary School participate in an introduction to drone piloting course
PARTNER QUOTES
Chief Beverly Ketlo, Nadleh Whut’en First Nation —
“This is an exciting opportunity for our communities to participate in. This initiative will benefit members who do not feel safe travelling on winter roads and will help reduce household fuel expenses. We are encouraged by the potential for improved access to essential services while creating new opportunities for community involvement and capacity building.”
Dr. Travis Holyk, Chief Administrative Officer, Carrier Sekani Family Services —
“This project demonstrates how innovation and community partnership work together to address geographic barriers within healthcare by improving timely access to essential medications and supplies. For many of the remote First Nations communities CSFS serves in northern BC, accessing healthcare can be challenging, and this project is a crucial step toward reducing those barriers. It will also create new opportunities for learning and employment that are key to long-term community well-being.”
Dr. Danette Dawkin, CEO of the Rural Coordination Centre of BC (RCCbc) —
“Strong relationships and local knowledge are essential to improving access to health care in First Nations, rural and remote communities. The Drone Transport Initiative brings partners together to explore new ways of delivering medical supplies while building local skills and training community members to operate drones. At the Rural Coordination Centre of BC, we value this investment in people and partnerships and are pleased to support coordination and help share what is learned.”
Philip Reece, Founder and CEO, InDro Robotics —
“Canada is a big country, and distance shouldn’t determine how quickly someone can get the supplies they need. We’re using autonomous drones to move medical supplies and other essential goods safely over long distances, particularly to communities that are difficult to reach. This project is about taking that technology out of the lab and proving it in the real world — turning autonomous drone delivery from a promising idea into a practical Canadian capability.”
Monica McAlduff, Chief Executive Officer, FNHA —
“We raise our hands to Nadleh Whut’en and Stellat’en First Nations, and our health system partners for their leadership and community-led innovation that has supported the success of the Drone Transport Initiative so far. We look forward to continuing this work and advancing our vision of First Nations-led health system transformation in B.C.”
Below: The COVID-19 drone project, in partnership with the First Nations community of Penelakut Island
INDRO’S TAKE
InDro has long placed a priority on working closely with First Nations communities. At the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, for example, we carried out regular BVLOS flights to transport test kits to and from Penelakut Island, a remote community off the coast of Vancouver Island. Those missions saved the local healthcare worker from taking two ferry rides each day to hand-carry used kits for testing and pick up new ones – meaning they could remain at the local clinic and serve community members.
“InDro is proud to be a key part of the Drone Transport Initiative and for multiple reasons,” says InDro Founder and CEO Philip Reece. “The most obvious is that, working with partners, we can soon put drones to work getting medical supplies to two remote communities in a timely fashion,” he says. “We’ll also continue to train First Nations pilots to carry out increasingly complex drone operations, providing new skills and employment opportunities. Finally, over time, we believe the DTI will establish a proven and scalable model that can assist rural, remote and Indigenous communities across Canada.”
With the exception of this section and the brief intro at the top of this piece, this story was originally published by the UBC Faculty of Medicine. You can find it here.