The project aims to improve the business’s productivity and strengthen its capacity for commercialization, while also boosting its integration into regional and global supply chains. The main activities that will be undertaken are the upgrade of two unmanned helicopter systems (LX300), including the command stations that will be used for commercial demonstrations; the acquisition, installation, and integration of new digital manufacturing equipment, including a five-axis computer numerical control (CNC) machine tool, a digital cutting table, and a coordinate measuring machine (CNC CMM); and leasehold improvements.

https://www.canada.ca/en/economic-development-quebec-regions/news/2023/07/aerospace-sector-recovery-over-32m-invested-in-quebec.html

The LX300 flight program is currently undergoing in winter conditions. Commercialization at a larger scale is still planned for early 2024.

The flight test program in still active and now running with warmer temperatures. Full flight envelope is expected to be demonstrated for November 2023.

Laflamme Aero is resuming the LX300 flight test program with the new version of the aircraft, featuring better performances and a heavy-fuel engine.

OTTAWA–General Dynamics Mission Systems–Canada announced today the establishment of a Centre of Excellence in Sherbrooke for remotely piloted aircraft systems (RPAS) technologies, leveraging the $9 million contribution of the Government of Québec, through Investissement Québec.

In addition to Investissement Québec’s contribution, this $9.7 million investment by General Dynamics Mission Systems merges the world-class engineering, commercialization and export expertise of General Dynamics, together with the imagination and technological prowess of Laflamme Aero Inc., one of Québec’s emerging aerospace innovators. Leveraging forward-thinking academia, and the critical support of government, these investments will all serve to further develop the aerospace industry.

General Dynamics has also made a strategic investment in Laflamme Aero to support the development and maturation of its LX300 tandem rotor RPAS platform. Investissement Québec, also a shareholder of Laflamme Aero, is contributing a further close to $1.9 million to industrialize and commercialize the LX300, demonstrating a firm commitment to further position Québec at the forefront of aerospace technology and innovation.

“The Centre of Excellence will position the province of Québec at the leading edge of emerging RPAS technology and advanced autonomous airborne mission systems integration,” said David Ibbetson, vice president and general manager of General Dynamics Mission Systems–International. “Remotely Piloted Aircrafts are the future of aerospace and our investment will generate Québec and Canadian intellectual property, create and enhance domestic capacity, and Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics jobs – while developing world-leading RPAS technologies to address the growing needs of Canada and countries across the globe.”

The Centre’s initial focus is to mature Laflamme’s LX300 for new markets. For its part, General Dynamics has developed a mission-ready Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (C4ISR) suite to meet the requirements of both domestic and international RPAS opportunities.

“This support positions Laflamme for the future. What began as a passion for aviation from my father has become something much larger. With the support of Investissement Québec and General Dynamics, we now have the opportunity to leverage our success and compete on a larger scale – both at home and abroad,” said Enrick Laflamme, president of Laflamme Aero.

“This remotely piloted aircraft system is the first of its kind to be fully developed and manufactured in Québec. This is a testament to the growth of our aerospace industry and our expertise in security and defence. With the creation of the Centre of Excellence in Sherbrooke and the commercialization of this innovative project, Québec will continue to stand out as a leader,” said Eric Girard, Minister of Finance and Minister of Economy and Innovation.

Through the Centre of Excellence, General Dynamics Mission Systems will be expanding its investment in Canada to include a presence in Québec, while generating opportunities for small and medium-sized businesses and strengthening the domestic RPAS ecosystem through the design, development, manufacturing, and sustainment of world-leading systems.

The Centre will create and sustain up to 45 highly skilled jobs in Québec.

Laflamme Aero Inc. specializes in the development and the manufacturing of tandem-rotor remotely piloted helicopters. Located in the Thetford area (province of Québec, Canada), the company offers unmanned aerial systems with unique capabilities for both military and commercial applications. For more information on Laflamme Aero, visit www.laflamme.aero.

This new improved LX300 will be the first version to be commercialized. The new fuselage includes aerodynamics improvements to boost up all the performances of the uncrewed aerial system.

For each of the last 3 years, Laflamme Aero has taken the LX300 to the Xponential trade shows, where we have presented this introduction video :

https://play.bespotful.com/11077

Since then, our team has been working hard to demonstrate all of our expected performances. Everyday our engineers are doing their utmost to bring the best RPAS VTOL to commercialization.

Since 2016 the LX300 flight testing program has been ongoing. Live the flight test experience by watching this video taken by our observation camera in October 2019.

OTTAWA – Laflamme Aero and General Dynamics Mission Systems–Canada showcase the LX300 Customizable Unmanned Helicopter, a Canadian-built, multi-mission and multi-role unmanned helicopter that can perform missions over land and sea – at CANSEC 2019.

General Dynamics recently signed a co-operation agreement with Laflamme Aero to promote the LX300 for defence and security opportunities in Canada and internationally.

” The strength of this agreement lies in the complementarity of our two companies,” said Enrick Laflamme, president of Laflamme Aero. “Our helicopter, designed with aerospace standards in mind and incorporating innovative technologies, integrates seamlessly with the advanced and integrated solutions of General Dynamics to provide the best solution for the security and defence industry.”

The agreement will also support advances in manned-unmanned operations, autonomy, network security and human-machine collaboration in common mission management systems.

” Navies and Coast Guards around the globe are seeking alternate options to manned platforms for multi-mission roles such as maritime patrol and intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance,” said David Ibbetson, vice president and general manager of General Dynamics Mission Systems–International. ” Through this co-operation agreement with Laflamme Aero, we are pleased to move the needle on defence innovation in the process.”

The LX300 is designed and built to meet helicopter certifications and standards. Its advanced tandem-rotor technology and the ability to carry 90kgs of payload will allow for sustained operations in multiple mission types. It also features aeronautical grade composite materials for blades and airframe and eliminates vibration at its source using advanced rotor technology.  

Laflamme Aero Inc. specializes in the development and the manufacturing of tandem-rotor remotely piloted helicopters. Located in the Thetford area (province of Quebec, Canada), the company offers unmanned aerial systems with unique capabilities for both military and commercial applications. For more information on Laflamme Aero, visit www.laflamme.aero.

General Dynamics Mission Systems–Canada delivers advanced system solutions to Canadian and international customers. Headquartered in Ottawa, Ontario, it is one of the largest defence and security companies in Canada and is a world-class prime contractor and systems integrator for military and public safety applications. For more information on General Dynamics Mission Systems, visit www.gdmissionsystems.ca.

Saint-Joseph-de-Coleraine, September 13^th 2018. Laflamme Aero Inc. , a company based in Quebec, Canada, announces today the successful conclusion of its first series of flight tests for its drone, the LX300. With its 300 kg of maximum takeoff weight, the LX300 is one of the world’s biggest helicopter-type drone to ever take flight.

« We have just completed a very important step. Our first series of flight tests has demonstrated how stable the craft is and how maneuverable it is during takeoffs and landings. Several of those maneuvers are both complex and critical. There is no doubt that the results from those tests will allow us to move on more rapidly to the last steps of our development program» commented Enrick Laflamme, president of Laflamme Aero.

With an estimated useful payload of 90 kg, the LX300 targets both commercial and military applications. The Defense and security sector, in particular, has demonstrated a considerable interest in Laflamme Aero’s drone. It is worth remembering that the LX300 stands out by its unique capabilities that facilitate the loading and transportation of various useful loads.

« Of course, that was an important milestone for us. It shows remarkable team work which everybody can be proud of. We will keep working very hard since important steps are still to come for this fall, including our first autonomous flights» added David Laflamme, director of the company.

Laflamme Aero plans on continuing its series of tests over the next 12 months, in order to begin the commercialization of the LX300 by the autumn of 2019.

The Laflamme Aero team is unveiling its LX300 helicopter for the very first time during the AUVSI’ Xponential 2017 at the Kay Bailey Hutchinson Convention Center in Dallas, Texas from May 8^th to May 11^th.

Laflamme Aero is proud to start the flight test program of the LX300 on time by running the first phase of mechanical testing.