Large, expensive fixed-wing drones such as the Predator and Reaper still have their place. Canada has ordered a fleet of similar drones expected to be up and running in 2033.

But the war in Ukraine has shifted the focus away from multimillion-dollar UAVs to much cheaper, smaller and sometimes disposable drones.

Reece says Canada is in a strong position partly because Transport Canada has been ahead of most national regulators in recognizing the potential of the industry and creating conditions permissive enough to allow drone use to flourish.

“We’ve got the skills here, we’ve got the know-how and we’ve certainly got the need,” he said. “So if we’re already ahead in drones and robots and we can keep pace with AI, putting those together definitely makes us an international powerhouse.”