Built for cold, challenging conditions
Superwake’s flagship SW-117 remotely piloted aircraft system is designed for beyond-visual-line-of-sight flight in even the most remote parts of Canada. Equipped with Starlink connectivity, it operates in extreme cold and difficult terrain—conditions most drone companies avoid—while being piloted from anywhere in the world. High-efficiency solar cells and custom high-capacity batteries allow it to fly for up to eight hours across nearly 500 kilometres.
The contrast with conventional monitoring methods is stark. Traditional wildlife surveys require crewed, gas-powered helicopters or small aircraft that fly low and can disturb the animals being counted. The SW-117 is uncrewed, solar-electric, and quiet enough not to spook wildlife below. “We didn’t come up with these technologies, but the way we put them together and made them work is where the magic is,” says Krebs.
In 2021, Superwake landed its first client: the Province of Manitoba Wildlife and Fisheries Branch. It remains a client today. Word spread, and the company has since expanded into forest and coastal mapping and pipeline monitoring. Superwake was recently selected by the RCMP to develop the next generation of high-speed, all-weather drones.
“It’s because our first job with Manitoba Wildlife and Fisheries was successful that word got around and we had more people contact us,” says Krebs.
Superwake provides an end-to-end service: clients identify the areas they need surveyed, and Superwake handles flight planning, regulatory approvals, data collection and processing.
What’s next?
For the past 18 months, Superwake has been developing technology to enable drones to fly 200 kilometres beyond the line of sight without requiring individual Transport Canada approval for each flight plan—a significant regulatory and operational hurdle the company would eliminate entirely. “No other drone company has this capability,” says Krebs.
In the long-term, the team will explore remote launch and landing systems to reduce the need for on-site crews, and has ambitions to establish clean energy launch stations. Looking ahead, Superwake is positioning itself to benefit from the federal government’s Buy Canadian Policy.
“We are trying to make sure we stay on the forefront, remain one of the top drone manufacturers in Canada and continue to provide people with something that is useful,” says Krebs.
The Superwake founders are candid about what they wish they’d known. Melville’s advice: “Don’t compromise. You are the expert when it comes to your technology. Counter to that, don’t be afraid to ask for help in the areas where you don’t have experience or expertise.”
Yeung urges future founders to get close to their customers early. “You may have a great idea for a technology but you are going to have to productize it. Taking the time early to understand customer needs will help clear out the noise so you can decide on the one or two things you need to figure out because someone is waiting to buy this product.”
And Krebs’ lesson is simple: deliver. Your first contract is your best marketing.
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