December 5, 2025 – Ottawa, ON – Area X.O, the National Capital’s advanced R&D complex, has been granted a Special Flight Operations Certificate (SFOC) authorizing operation of its DJI Agras T50 agricultural drone within Class C airspace near Ottawa International Airport.

This certification, a first for a Canadian test site in Class C airspace, represents an important regulatory milestone that allows Area X.O to conduct advanced research and testing of large-scale agricultural drones in one of Canada’s most tightly controlled airspaces.

The authorization reflects Transport Canada’s confidence in Area X.O’s rigorous safety procedures and technical excellence.

The DJI Agras T50 is an advanced agricultural platform weighing over 25 kg and reaching a maximum take-off weight of approximately 103 kg with payload. Operating a system of this scale within controlled airspace requires a high level of safety assurance – Area X.O’s operation meets SAIL Level VI, considered a high-risk and complex category.

Notably, this SFOC was obtained prior to recent regulatory updates that now facilitate certain large-drone operations in controlled zones, underscoring the team’s pioneering work and proactive engagement with regulators.

“This achievement enables us to safely explore how large agricultural drones can be integrated into Canadian airspace,” said Sonya Shorey, President and CEO of Invest Ottawa and Bayview Yards. “Operating in Class C airspace uniquely positions Area X.O to collaborate closely with Transport Canada and other partners, advancing responsible regulations and accelerating real-world applications for agriculture.”

Through this authorization, Area X.O can now expand testing on spreading and spraying technologies, comparing drone operations with traditional equipment, and demonstrating how automation can help address labour shortages and enhance on-farm productivity.

The facility’s proximity to regulators and its integrated test environment create a living lab for safe, evidence-based experimentation that connects the worlds of policy, technology and farming.

This certification also enables Area X.O to collaborate with Health Canada’s Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) to advance research on drone-based agricultural practices.

The PMRA is responsible for regulating pesticides in Canada under the Pest Control Products Act, ensuring they pose minimal risk to human health and the environment. Working within this framework, Area X.O can be used as a live lab environment to explore and evaluate new methods for pesticide application using drones, supporting science-based evidence that may inform future regulatory approvals.

Through this collaboration, Area X.O contributes to a safer, more sustainable, and efficient approach to testing and evaluating new pest management and agricultural innovations.

More About the DJI Agras T50

The DJI Agras T50 is an advanced agricultural drone designed for precision spraying and spreading. It supports large payloads for efficient application of fertilizers, seeds, and crop treatments across a variety of field conditions.

The system delivers accurate, consistent coverage that helps reduce waste and environmental impact while improving crop performance. At Area X.O, the Agras T50 enables research and testing that aim to advance precision planting and fertilizer application research, validate the safety and efficacy of chemical spray applications in collaboration with research and regulatory partners, and explore new cross-sector applications including defence, emergency response, and environmental monitoring.

About Area X.O

The Ottawa Innovation Farm at Area X.O is Invest Ottawa’s AgTech test, demonstration, and development program embedded within Area X.O—Canada’s secure, all-weather,  5G-enabled test and demonstration complex. The farm combines small research plots (1.2–5 acres) and two 48-acre mid-sized fields with a multi-sector technology stack—advanced robotics, large UAS/drones, autonomy, connectivity, AI, sensing, and data—to turn promising innovations into adoption-ready tools for producers.

Located just 12 km from Parliament Hill, the farm leverages proximity to AAFC, CFIA, and Health Canada to align trials with regulatory and certification needs from day one. With this SFOC, the Ottawa Innovation Farm at Area X.O becomes the first Canadian test facility authorized to fly large-scale agricultural drones in Class C airspace, expanding real-world evaluation and demonstration capacity for producers and innovators.

Operated by Invest Ottawa, Area X.O is Canada’s all-weather, R&D complex, approved as a Public Research Institution under ISED’s ITB Policy.  We enable the testing, validation, demonstration, and commercialization of next-generation technologies—helping entrepreneurs and companies get to market faster and more safely. One of 14 NATO DIANA test centres in Canada, Area X.O combines diverse expertise with Ottawa’s telecom and cybersecurity strengths and operates one of the most advanced communications infrastructures in the world. It is the only all-weather innovation hub of its kind in North America with three integrated R&D sites for private, public, and defence testing and validation specializing in AI, drones, and advanced robotics.

Established and managed by Invest Ottawa, Area X.O leverages critical support from world-class founding partners, including the Government of Canada (through FedDev Ontario), the Government of Ontario (through the Ontario Vehicle Innovation Network managed by the Ontario Centre of Innovation), the City of Ottawa, Accenture, BlackBerry QNX, Ericsson, Microsoft, Nokia, and Ottawa’s post-secondary institutions. These applications benefit our community, economy, and environment across defence, security, public safety, smart mobility, telecom, smart agriculture, unmanned aerial vehicles, and smart cities.

To learn more about Area X.O’s drone and robotics testing capabilities, visit www.areaxo.com.

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Media Contact:
Lindsey Fair
Vice President, Marketing and Bayview Impact
613-857-7779
[email protected]