Successful launch of a stratospheric balloon for Lux Aerobot in Alma, a first in Canada

ALMA, QC, January 13, 2022 — Lux Aerobot becomes the first Canadian company to successfully launch a stratospheric platform to accomplish Earth observation. The high-altitude balloon flew off the ground from Alma Airport this morning at 5:20 in order to reach a maximum altitude of around 20 km, for a flight duration of 3 hours, to finally land at more than 300km from the launch site, in the Côte-Nord region.

This new technology enables the acquisition of images of the Earth’s surface to help create decision support tools. Unlike other solutions already available such as drones, aircraft or satellites, the images acquired live from these balloons are analyzed on board thanks to the expertise in artificial intelligence developed in-house. Lux is therefore able to share persistent and more precise information, with better image resolution and with greater frequency in critical contexts such as forest fire management, coastal safety, etc.

Lux Aerobot was founded in 2018 in Québec, having its headquarters located in Alma, and is now employing 15 employees, planning to create several more highly qualified jobs in the coming months and years across the country. Lux has already made several launches of its units in Australia for the Australian Defence Force. It continues to grow its funding at 100% per year, with partners such as the Canadian Space Agency, Canadian Defense and MDA.

Éric Girard, MNA for Lac-St-Jean and Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, noted:

“Québec is a leader in artificial intelligence research and development. It continues to stand out in several strategic and high-tech sectors, such as aerospace. The financial support from the Québec government will allow Lux Aerobot to benefit from their expertise in space imaging. Being the first Canadian company to capture high-precision data through stratospheric balloon flights, it will thus be able to claim a competitive advantage. This is a bold and innovative young organization that is the pride of the entire Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean region!”

Emmanuel Bergeron, Director of Regional Economic Development for Rio Tinto, said: “The Lux Aerobot entrepreneurs are very dynamic, have a solid business plan and have developed a high-tech product that is of interest to several sectors, including mining exploration. Rio Tinto is proud to support the growth of this innovative project through personalized coaching and financial support.”

“Lux Aerobot inc. is a very promising young startup that is a great example of success in a specialized sector in the region. By setting up their offices within the RCM of Lac-Saint-Jean-Est, the company benefited from an entire entrepreneurial support structure, including its incubation within La SUITE entrepreneuriale Desjardins and the important synergy developed with the UAS Centre of Excellence”, commented the Director General of CIDAL and Acting Director General of the UAS Centre of Excellence, Mr. Martin Belzile.

Lux Aerobot Inc. is a fast-growing start-up that is developing a technology intended to be deployed in the stratosphere and ultimately enabling the implementation of innovative services by entering a market that is still open. Gains in cost reduction and improvement in the availability and quality of reliable and continuous data will promote the digital transformation of local manufacturing SMEs, constituting a real development opportunity for the manufacturing sector and the economic growth of Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean and all of Quebec. “The Cluster is proud to be involved in the development and growth of Lux Aerobot Inc. for more than 2 years now, by financing its activities as well as by participating in the operational deployments necessary for the development of its technologies” explains the director of the UAS Cluster of Excellence, Mr. William De Keiser.

Lux Aerobot is a Canadian space robotics company, specializing in the design, manufacture and operation of high-altitude platforms. Lux uses its proprietary aerial imagery to develop decision support tools for civil and defence organizations.