Ribbit, a burgeoning Canadian air cargo startup, is set to embark on a venture to trial unmanned delivery flights in the isolated regions of the country, as disclosed by Northern Ontario Business. The firm recently secured a $1.3 million contract with Transport Canada and Innovative Solutions Canada, which will allow it to commence autonomous test flights within the forthcoming year.
“Larger planes that only operate sporadically currently serve many rural and remote areas,” stated CEO Carl Pigeon in a press release earlier this month. “Ribbit is aiming to revolutionize this paradigm by deploying smaller, autonomous aircraft to significantly transform the unit economics of such flights. This will enable us to provide dependable next-day or two-day services and enhance supply chains.”
Starting off with a two-seater recreational aircraft, Ribbit plans to convert these planes into cargo carriers by removing seats and introducing remote control hardware and software for full autonomy. The original concept was envisioned by students at the University of Waterloo, including co-founders Jeremy Wang and Carl Pigeon. Ribbit intends to utilize remote pilots to oversee the flight progress, liaise with air traffic control, and serve as a safety measure.
Ribbit has already inked agreements with various retailers and wholesalers, encompassing locally owned enterprises that cater to the province. The objective is to meet the demand for prompt delivery of essentials such as food and medical supplies. Wang, speaking to Northern Ontario Business, noted, “The real aim is to enhance the transport network for delivering time-sensitive items like food, medical supplies, and more to these communities, more frequently and reliably, and at a lower cost to the end user.”
Despite competition in this space, most notably from Xwing—which has already conducted autonomous commercial cargo flights using larger aircraft such as the converted Cessna Grand Caravan 208B fitted with Xwing’s Autoflight software—and Reliable Robotics (established by ex-SpaceX and Tesla engineers) which has also successfully conducted remotely piloted cargo tests, Ribbit remains confident. The startup may be smaller, but it prides itself on understanding its clients and the region well. “Whether it’s air cargo, asset monitoring, or maritime patrol, we’ve pinpointed multiple uses for this technology,” said Wang. “Our clients value our ability to deeply comprehend their operations and subsequently reinvent them with autonomy.”
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about autonomous delivery flights
What is the Canadian startup Ribbit planning?
Ribbit, a Canadian air cargo startup, is planning to trial unmanned delivery flights in the isolated regions of the country. They have secured a $1.3 million contract to start autonomous test flights within the forthcoming year.
What type of aircraft is Ribbit starting with?
Ribbit is starting with a two-seater recreational-style aircraft. They plan to convert these planes into cargo carriers by removing seats and introducing remote control hardware and software for full autonomy.
Who are the co-founders of Ribbit?
The co-founders of Ribbit are Carl Pigeon, who also serves as the CEO, and Jeremy Wang. The idea for Ribbit began as a project by these individuals when they were students at the University of Waterloo.
Who are Ribbit’s competitors?
Ribbit’s competitors include Xwing, which has already conducted autonomous commercial cargo flights using larger aircraft, and Reliable Robotics, a company founded by former SpaceX and Tesla engineers, which has also successfully conducted remotely piloted cargo tests.
What is Ribbit’s aim with the autonomous flights?
Ribbit aims to meet the demand for prompt delivery of essentials such as food and medical supplies in isolated areas, providing more frequent, reliable services and at a lower cost to the end user.
More about autonomous delivery flights
- Ribbit Official Website
- Northern Ontario Business News
- Transport Canada
- Innovative Solutions Canada
- University of Waterloo
- Xwing
- Reliable Robotics
4 comments
This is cool and all, but they’re smaller than their competitors… can they really compete with Xwing and Reliable Robotics? Guess time will tell..
tech like this is the future, man. love seeing startups like Ribbit shaking things up. gonna keep a close eye on their progress.
I live in one of those remote areas they talkin bout. this could be a game changer for us. fingers crossed it works out.
Huge fan of what Ribbit is doing!! Finally, someone’s looking out for the remote areas. Hope it works out for ’em.