Cranes in the sky… but make it tech-y

BY CHRISTINA GWIRA

At the 2019 BFUTR Summit, I had the opportunity to interview Alexandra McCalla, co-founder of Airmatrix. Airmatrix is literally helping to build roads in the sky… for drones. Currently, drones are used on a more non-commercial basis in Canada. Some people use them for photography, videography or as a form of entertainment. Airmatrix is working hard to see the use of drones move into the sphere of providing support for emergency and medical services.The issue in Canada however is that of density and the lack of infrastructure that will allow drones to see their full capabilities realized in the Canadian sky.

Working closely together with NavCanada and Transport Canada, Airmatrix is looking to build the very highways and technology to guide and see drone usage grow within our country. At the present moment, no such thing is available in Canada, which is why Airmatrix needs to work alongside these two government organizations to see what possibilities can come when the private sector meets the government sector in this dance in the sky.

The concept came about in 2016, when Alex and her co-founders were studying at the University of Toronto. There was a hunger to see how drone technology could empower local businesses, however, there wasn’t a blueprint or the technology to see your local mom and pop shop deliver your bagels via drone. However, Airmatrix is working tirelessly to see this become a reality.

There are plans for the company to expand into the United States, the United Kingdom as well as Australia as these countries have some form of infrastructure and regulation in place at a more accessible level. In Canada, Airmatrix needs to work with the federal government to see their technology implemented, which isn’t necessarily the fastest route to see drone technology implemented for the common man. Amazon has already started testing out the use of drones as a viable delivery mechanism and the UK is also open to seeing where the applications of drones could reach.

But it’s not all bad for drones, Canada and Airmatrix. There are plans to see a test flight in place that will transport a critical organ from one hospital to another. Could you imagine the possibilities? With their “millimeter-precise drone highways” that are built “on a multi-layered grid system” Airmatrix is actively, “helping high-density cities create a safe, scalable, and efficient transportation system”. The fact is that the drones are coming to our cities, our towns and our country, but are they ready for it? Airmatrix is working hard to make sure that we are.

Airmatrix’s technology aims to impact three main demographics: us as everyday users; local governments as well as businesses. For us as the common person, being able to have easier access to emergency services is a wonderful benefit. When more businesses and governments start moving their delivery needs to the air, this will mean less congestion and air pollution for us to suffer through.

From the local government standpoint, there is possibility to monetize airspace. Being able to levy a toll on businesses and other government agencies to pass through airspace provides another income stream that can help assist the revenues of the cities and towns that we live in.

Lastly, as business owners, being able to provide delivery services that are, “fast, efficient [and] optimized 3D routes” gives you more than a leg up over the competition. The milimeter drone tracking that Airmatrix provides through their intuitive user interface and platform can also provide businesses with the peace of mind that is needed to ensure that their investment in drone technology is secured.

In short, Alex and her team are on the cusp of bringing drones into our reality. It will no longer be a thing of “Black Mirror” and “The Jetsons”. The fact that Airmatrix is also co-founded by a black woman is also a very big win for our community. I’m looking forward to seeing more tech, “Cranes in the Sky”, with the help of Airmatrix, are you?