Ottawa testing drones as way to gather information on ice conditions

ST. JOHN’S, N.L. – The federal government is looking at adding a high-tech gadget to its information-gathering arsenal.

Several federal departments have been testing a drone off Newfoundland to see if it could help with Coast Guard ice operations at sea.

The Coast Guard, Transport Canada, the National Research Council and the Royal Canadian Navy were part of the team that launched the unmanned vehicle off Fogo Island.

They want to know if drones can help in icebreaking operations.

They flew the drone Wednesday from the flight deck of the icebreaker George R. Pearkes, and sent real-time ice condition data back to the ship.

Memorial University and Alaska University also participated in the trial.

News from © The Canadian Press, . All rights reserved.
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Join the Conversation!

Want to share your thoughts, add context, or connect with others in your community?

The Canadian Press

The Canadian Press is Canada's trusted news source and leader in providing real-time, bilingual multimedia stories across print, broadcast and digital platforms.