2025 AERIUM’s year in review
By Jordan Cicoria, President & CEO, AERIUM Analytics
2025 has been a big year for uncrewed aviation in Canada, and for our team at AERIUM. We’ve seen the industry grow in real, practical ways, BVLOS discussions, and more companies using drones as part of their regular work in energy, agriculture, and environmental monitoring.
On the services side, the momentum has been steady. Our long-standing work with Suncor remains strong, and we’ve continued to grow with Imperial Oil. We also took on new opportunities with CNRL and kept building our relationship with Alberta-Pacific Forest Industries (Alpac), along with several other valued exciting new clients.
And it’s not just about flying more missions. The work itself matters, wildlife hazing and deterrence, bathymetry surveys, wildlife sweeps, vegetation management, seismic support, all of it grounded in planning, precision, and the effort our field crews bring every day.
We’ve also kept gaining traction internationally. Our team is now on the ground in Australia running early trials and speaking directly with growers and partners. It’s still early, but the interest has been strong and it’s a good sign that the work we’ve done here at home can translate abroad while keeping the same focus and care.
What BVLOS means for AERIUM and Canada’s RPAS sector
The new regulations open almost 90% of the country for advanced RPAS operations. But the real question, the one we must ask, is: what does that mean for AERIUM?
With Transport Canada’s new BVLOS (Beyond Visual Line of Sight) regulations now in effect, we’re stepping into something we’ve been working toward for a long time. These changes open the door to real growth, real capability, and real opportunity across the sector, and we’re already seeing it take shape.
For years, we’ve talked about what happens when regulation finally matches the reality of the technology. Now we’re seeing it play out in the field, in the oil sands, at airports, and with our clients across the country.
It means longer linear opportunities in vegetation management. It means covering larger areas on tailings ponds without constantly driving and repositioning, which reduces greenhouse gas emissions and increases efficiency. It means more effective wildlife and habitat management, especially in the challenging environments we work in. In the airport space, especially for Class G and around OLS and approach paths, it means we can be quicker, more efficient, and more responsive.
And this is only the start for uncrewed aviation in Canada. BVLOS is a key step toward more autonomous operations, whether that’s remote work, automated flights, or expanding what’s possible with RoBird™. There’s a lot of exciting work ahead, and with partners like HORT helping us explore new agricultural applications, these changes open the door to new possibilities globally. You can read the media release about our partnership with Hort Innovation here.
Aerial Evolution Association of Canada Conference 2025
This year’s Aerial Evolution Association of Canada Conference at The Edmonton International Airport (YEG) was outstanding. There was so much energy in the room. You could see and feel that the industry is moving fast.
For the first time, we had live UAV demonstrations airside at an international airport. We showcased RoBird™, and seeing it fly in that environment, around real airport operations, is something that really shows where this industry is going.
Check it out the Demo Day here!
And there were other moments that made it clear we’re entering a new phase. Remote operations were happening live, teams flying an aircraft in Ontario from a control station at the conference. Defence, NATO spending, and dual-purpose systems are part of the picture, but the shift is bigger than that. The ecosystem itself is maturing in real time.
Looking Ahead
As these regulations come into effect and more organizations understand what they allow, collaboration is going to be the deciding factor. Canada succeeds when industry, government, and academia push together, and this year showed how strong that collective momentum can be.
I’ll go beyond that; we have a window of 12 to 18 months to act. The world is moving quickly, and if we don’t take advantage of this moment, someone else will.
We’re all excited about where AERIUM is heading, across agriculture, energy, airports, wildlife management, bird control, and the path toward more autonomous operations. The future of uncrewed aviation in Canada isn’t something we’re waiting for. It’s already happening, and we’re right in the middle of it.
Jordan Cicoria
President & CEO
AERIUM Analytics
