Supporting aerospace businesses operating in rural Alberta.
Grow, prosper, and innovate.
About the Rural Aerospace Development (RAD) Project
As lead partner in the APEX Alberta Regional Innovation Network, Community Futures Entre-Corp recently completed a two-year project in support of the Alberta RPAS (or "drones") sector. (To learn more, please download our RPAS industry roadmap: "Alberta's Flight Plan - Unlocking Economic Opportunities with Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems".)
In 2024, Innovate Calgary (University of Calgary's innovation transfer and incubator centre) launched a new Aerospace Innovation Hub. As a Calgary-based initiative, there was a risk that rural businesses would get left out of this incredible opportunity. That would be a shame given the important role of rural Alberta companies in the aerospace supply chain. In fact, the majority of RPAS use case activity takes place in rural Alberta with inspection (pipelines, windmills, solar), delivery & logistics (supplies to remote communities), environmental monitoring, forestry, firefighting, mining, search & rescue, entertainment, etc.
To help close this gap and level the playing field, Community Futures Entre-Corp recently received funds through the Community Futures Prairies Rural Opportunities Fund (ROF) to support aerospace/RPAS businesses operating in rural Alberta to grow, prosper, and innovate!
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Get Connected
Are you an aerospace or RPAS company operating in rural Alberta? Looking for more information about how we can support your rural Alberta business? Get connected with our RAD Manager, Roger Haessel. Submit your inquiry here!
Meet Roger Haessel,
Rural Aerospace Development Manager
As the APEX Alberta RPAS Project ended in 2024, Roger launched the Community Futures Rural Aerospace Development (RAD) project and is the Rural Aerospace Development Manager. Building on the prior RPAS work, RAD is somewhat broader in scope and includes any rural Alberta businesses within the aerospace supply chain.
A key component of RAD is a partnership with the Calgary Aerospace Innovation Hub. In addition, the RAD project includes key initiatives in partnership with the Foremost UAS Test Range and the Beyond Visual Line of Sight Innovation Centre.
Roger looks forward to supporting aerospace and RPAS-related businesses operating in rural Alberta.
