Canadian UAVs Secures Transport Canada Validation for Sparrowhawk Radar

The Pre-Validated Declaration (PVD) confirms the Sparrowhawk system meets Canadian Air Regulations Standard 922, specifically regarding detect, alert, and avoid capabilities. Unlike a standard Safety Assurance Declaration, where manufacturers self-attest to compliance, the PVD requires Transport Canada to formally review and accept the manufacturer’s compliance plan beforehand. This distinction makes Sparrowhawk the only configurable radar element on the regulator’s current eligibility list.

Because the system is ground-based, it remains independent of specific airframes, granting operators flexibility to deploy it across defence, public safety, and critical infrastructure projects without re-certifying hardware for every mission. According to CEO Sean Greenwood, the milestone reflects Canada’s growing influence in setting global regulatory benchmarks for drone operations. Engineering Program Manager Mahmoud Abdelrahman noted that the thoroughness of the PVD process validates not only the technology’s performance but also the maturity of the company’s repeatable deployment protocols. As international regulators continue to refine their own frameworks, this component-level validation serves as a credible reference point for the broader aviation industry.