A new study commissioned by NAV CANADA forecasts that drones and other advanced air vehicles could add up to 120 billion dollars a year to Canada’s economy by 2045 and create more than 260,000 new jobs. NAV CANADA said this growth “signals a major shift in how we use the sky, as remotely piloted aircraft systems (RPAS) and advanced air mobility (AAM) become key drivers of innovation, safety and efficiency across many industries”. In 2024, RPAS and AAM operations generated between 2.4 billion and 3.6 billion dollars, supporting more than 30,000 jobs.
“As we look ahead, the integration of RPAS and AAM into Canada’s airspace represents one of the most transformative opportunities in modern aviation,” said NAV CANADA’s Vice President and Chief Technology & Information Officer, David Sheppard. “It’s a shift that will require new technologies, new regulatory frameworks and deep collaboration across the industry, but the payoff is a safer, more connected and more innovative aviation system for all Canadians.”
The study predicts that by 2045, RPAS and AAM will perform more than 21 million annual flights, up from just 300,000 in 2024. Much of this expansion is expected to come from the transportation, construction and energy sectors.
“To enable this ecosystem, new digital and physical infrastructure will be essential, including vertiports, dedicated air corridors and integrated traffic management systems capable of safely coordinating thousands of AAM and RPAS flights in shared airspace,” NAV CANADA said. Early AAM projects and demonstration flights are already exploring these capabilities in Canada, supported by collaborations between industry, government, and NAV CANADA.
One of the most interesting aspects of the study is the benchmarking of Canada against other countries that are anticipating growing their own RPAS and AAM industries: the United States, United Kingdom, Australia and Belgium.
The study notes that the US has mature RPAS ecosystem driven by FAA regulation and strong private-sector innovation, and that the industry is expected to reach 234 million operations by 2045. Meanwhile, the UK is described as having dense urban zones and government support, making it a hub for beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) trials, with 35 million annual flights projected by 2045. According to the study, Australia’s open airspace and strong logistics use cases position it as a leader in drone delivery, whereas Belgium is seeing rapid growth in urban RPAS applications despite tight airspace restrictions, it’s seeing rapid growth in urban RPAS applications.
NAV CANADA acknowledges that integrating millions of uncrewed flights into the national airspace will require resilient digital systems, adaptive regulation and continuous collaboration between industry, government and communities.
Alan Chapman, Director of RPAS Traffic Management at NAV CANADA explained that the scale of upcoming RPAS and AAM activity will require more robust digital infrastructure and closer data exchange between operators and regulators. “To safely accommodate the surge in drone and advanced air mobility traffic, Canada will need highly connected digital systems and seamless information-sharing across the entire aviation ecosystem. Building that foundation is essential to ensuring these new operations can scale safely and responsibly.” This work is already underway through ongoing projects in RPAS Traffic Management.
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Image: NAV CANADA