The Centre for Innovation and Research in Unmanned Systems (CIRUS) is on a mission to expand the role of drones to meet a wide range of needs across many industries

AT THE Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT) in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, the Centre for Innovation and Research in Unmanned Systems (CIRUS) is a leading applied research centre focused on remotely piloted aircraft systems (RPAS) and is the first remotely piloted aviation training centre in Canada. As part of SAIT’s Applied Research and Innovation Services (ARIS) Hub, CIRUS’ work explores how RPAS, known as unmanned systems or drones, can be used to support a wide range of needs across industries — combining technology, data, and real world applications.

CIRUS’ mission is to expand the role drones play in data acquisition, management, analytics and dissemination, while helping organisations operate more effectively within diverse regulatory and operational environments. Through applied research, the centre addresses industry challenges with the innovative use of RPAS and sensors, as well as the customisation, validation, integration and analysis of the data gathered.

While much of CIRUS’ work is focused in the sky, its research extends beyond, exploring terrestrial and submersible drones and sensors, reflecting a broader approach to the research that supports complex, real world applications.

With the right expertise and infrastructure, drones can be used for a wide variety of applications. CIRUS’ expertise includes but is not limited to:

•    Integration of remotely piloted aircraft (RPA), remotely piloted aircraft systems (RPAS), and sensors;
•    Remotely piloted payload delivery systems;
•    Heavy-lift, high-endurance beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) testing and operation;
•    Analytical modelling integrating RPAS-based geographic information systems (GIS), remote sensing, machine learning (ML) and artificial intelligence (AI); and
•    Data visualisation through augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR).

Building on this collective expertise, CIRUS’ Environmental Resiliency and Sustainability Hub (ERSH) delivers impact-driven solutions across critical application areas, including disaster management, search and rescue operations, wildfire response, wildlife management, and natural resource management. ERSH helps align research, technology development, and real-world deployment to address these challenges in a coordinated and scalable way.

Applied research in action

CIRUS’ projects demonstrate how remotely piloted systems can move from capability to application, bridging research and real-world use across diverse environments.

Utilising drones to provide access to healthcare in remote communities

In 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, CIRUS and University of Calgary’s W21C Research and Innovation Centre explored drone delivery of medical supplies to remote communities. This initiative aimed to enhance access to COVID-19 testing and critical healthcare resources, overcoming geographical barriers through RPAS. A successful test flight demonstrated the potential of drones to support medical logistics, paving the way for future applications in emergency healthcare delivery across Canada.

Wade Hawkins, CIRUS Research Chair, said: “The concept for this project began during a lunch between Dr John Conly from W21C, and myself, two months before COVID-19. We were discussing the integration of drone technology and healthcare when we ended up sketching out a project idea on a cocktail napkin. Two months later, COVID-19 hit, and we refocused our research question — the rest is history.

“Over the course of the partnership, we have been fortunate to demonstrate this work to several Indigenous communities and provide skill development in drone technology. We have also integrated additional medical treatments and refined the procedures through our partnership with Dr Andy Kirkpatrick and Jessica McKee from the TeleMentored Ultrasound Supported Medical Interventions (TMUSMI) Research Group. The impact of this work is significant and is now expanding beyond Alberta to other parts of the world.”

The project explored and validated how drone-enabled emergency response and healthcare delivery can be applied in remote communities and high risk environments. By integrating drone technology, emergency response workflows, tele mentoring and point of care testing and treatment, it demonstrated how immediate, real time medical support can be extended to Indigenous communities and remote access sites, helping overcome geographic barriers, and reduce response times where traditional access may be limited.

This work included the development and testing of a comprehensive emergency management drone system, featuring visual, thermal infrared (heat detection), and future multi-gas sensing capabilities. These capabilities were designed for scenarios where medical response may be delayed due to hazardous conditions, such as industrial incidents or infrastructure failures. In these situations, an emergency management drone can act as an initial responder, streaming real time video, thermal imagery and multi gas data to an emergency operations centre, supporting situational awareness and informed decision making before personnel are deployed on site.

Once the site was deemed safe by the emergency management drone system, CIRUS conducted field trials and validation to successfully deliver medical payloads and develop tele mentored communication procedures. Initially trialling delivery of a medical grade ultrasound and a ‘Stop the Bleed’ kit, the trials extended to include a custom ‘Start the Breathe’ kit packaged in a custom medical payload container. Refined tele mentored procedures were developed to allow a patient to self diagnose and self treat a pneumothorax (collapsed lung). Using Bluetooth enabled medical devices, including a pulse oximeter, spirometer, blood pressure cuff and ultrasound, the patient performed a self-delivered assessment, while streaming real time health data to a remote physician, who confirmed the diagnosis. With continued tele mentor support, the patient then performed a chest tube intubation on a mannequin, demonstrating how drone enabled medical intervention can be applied in remote and high risk environments. These outcomes have laid the groundwork for expanding drone enabled emergency management and healthcare delivery into daily operations.

What once started with delivering COVID-test kits to remote communities, has now evolved into real-time emergency response and healthcare. Project infographic: aris-projects-start-the-breathe_digital.pdf.

Wildfire mitigation, response and management using RPAS/drone technology

“Wildfires have long been a part of Canada’s natural landscape, but the scale and impact have increased. Fire seasons are becoming less predictable, placing added pressure on responders, particularly in remote and hazardous environments where access, visibility and safety are limited,” said Hawkins.

“Wildfire management requires information at every stage of a fire’s lifecycle, from early risk assessment to active response and post event recovery. Effective wildfire mitigation, response, and management depends on timely, reliable data to support informed decision making at all stages. This is where drone technology can be extremely useful in wildfire operations. We can generate near or real-time, up-to date mapping to support communities with wildfire planning and operations.”

Before wildfires, CIRUS researchers use drones to support mitigation and preparedness efforts by surveying and mapping, capturing environmental data and identifying areas of elevated risk. This includes mapping terrain, vegetation, and surrounding infrastructure to improve planning.

During wildfires, CIRUS’ remotely piloted systems equipped with appropriate sensors collect real time visual and thermal information, monitor fire behaviour, and help assess conditions on the ground without putting personnel at risk. This data supports emergency operations centres with timely insights that can inform decisions and resource deployment.

After wildfires, the collected data assists with post fire assessment and recovery, with insights helpful for improving preparedness and mitigation strategies for future wildfire seasons.

Through a partnership with Alberta Forestry and Parks, and Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT), CIRUS assisted by generating high-resolution three-dimensional (3D) modelling using visual LiDAR and multispectral mapping for operational planning, supporting hazard tree assessments, cargo delivery of medical and tactical supplies, and more.

Training and capacity development

In 2023, CIRUS launched Canada’s first Remotely Piloted Aviation Training Centre, focused on the training, certification, research and development for heavy-lift and beyond visual line-of-sight (BVLOS) RPAS. The centre provides skills necessary for effective RPAS operations, drone pilot training, maintenance, and mission planning.

In a media release, Dr David Ross, SAIT’s President and CEO, stated: “These skills are in high demand and SAIT is ready to provide a talent pool of qualified operators and technicians.

“Driven by industry, companies are finding new ways to impact how Canadians conduct research and implement new applications for drone technology in diverse environments. The establishment of this centre will foster growth within the RPAS industry and position Alberta as a leader in the field.”

Beyond the classroom, CIRUS collaborated with the Frog Lake First Nation (FLFN) community to support the integration of unmanned systems to reflect local needs and operating environments.

“While formal training is critical, building long term capacity also means working alongside industry and communities to understand how drone technology can be meaningfully adopted in real world contexts,” said Hawkins.

Providing education on drone technology

As part of the FLFN collaboration, CIRUS worked closely with the community to support hands on learning and local engagement around drone technology. This included live demonstrations for community members, training seminars, and a science camp designed to introduce high school students to unmanned systems and environmental monitoring. In addition, CIRUS assisted the community in securing the necessary drone infrastructure.

Data collection, processing, and administration

As part of CIRUS’ ongoing research efforts, the centre developed standard technical procedures (SOP) to document and support operationalisation of research results. This ranges from data collection methodologies to the integration of sensors such as visual, thermal infrared, and light detection and ranging (LiDAR) sensors, and leveraging photogrammetry and LiDAR processing and analytics such as GIS, ML, and AI. To support administration of advanced BVLOS operations, the team developed a custom ArcGIS Pro–based Specific Assurance and Integrity Level (SAIL) application to help determine BVLOS requirements and reviewed regulatory needs related to BVLOS operations, including Special Flight Operations Certificates (SFOC) and Specific Operations Risk Assessments (SORA).

Diving into analytics

CIRUS developed a comprehensive geodatabase integrating drone, satellite, and base mapping data. This enabled detailed mapping of forest types and vegetation density around the community to help identify structures most at risk from wildfire. 3D terrain models were also generated to support the identification of areas vulnerable to wildfire spread and intensity.

To translate data into actionable insights, CIRUS developed a suite of tools, including a Wildfire Susceptibility dashboard — risk model and hazard assessment, a wildfire emergency response dashboard, and a wildfire evacuation route risk assessment. Together, these tools support preparedness and response planning.

“Building on this work, we plan to survey several communities in the coming years to further identify at risk areas and support the development of targeted mitigation strategies to reduce wildfire impacts nationally and globally,” said Hawkins.

Advancing innovation through collaboration

CIRUS’ applied research capabilities continue to evolve alongside emerging needs across industry and communities. Building on existing expertise in remotely piloted systems, sensor integration, data analytics and regulatory navigation, the centre is well positioned to support a growing range of research initiatives.

“As industry and community needs evolve, CIRUS is well positioned to build on its applied research and support new projects that extend the use of unmanned systems into additional contexts,” said Hawkins.

“This includes research integrating drones and sensors for reforestation and reclamation, bathymetry and ocean monitoring, which utilises RPAS-based dual echo sonar to generate bathymetric measurement of the bottom of the storm bond and sediment level to support freeboard assessments or freely available water. In cases where there is a more defined sludge layer, not penetrated by the sonar, we investigate the utilisation of ground penetrating radar to determine the bottom.”

Hawkins added: “CIRUS remains focused on advancing applied research that responds to evolving needs across sectors. Many of our applications are inherently dual-use, with a growing focus on defence capabilities that support national security and sovereignty. One example is our sonar based bathymetry work, which can be applied to strategic port management. Additionally, our recent engagement in the Arctic Summit brought us closer to the northern resilience conversation.”

“Central to this work is collaboration — bringing together industry, governments, communities, academia and research partners to explore how drone technology can be thoughtfully integrated into various operations. By working together, these collaborations help ensure that emerging technologies and innovation can create meaningful change across a wide range of applications.”

With the flexibility to adapt technologies to new contexts and by testing new approaches, CIRUS’ future work will explore how these capabilities address complex challenges and support partners as requirements and technologies continue to advance locally and globally.

Please note, this article will also appear in the 26th edition of our quarterly publication.