Ribbit demonstrates collaborative teaming between autonomous helicopter, airplane, and drones

OTTAWA, ON, Oct. 27, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Ribbit announced today a major milestone in aviation autonomy and teaming. In May 2026, an autonomous Bell 412EP helicopter operated by the National Research Council of Canada (NRC), an autonomous Cessna 150 airplane operated by Ribbit, and multiple virtual drones executed a mock search and rescue mission near Ottawa. This joint achievement marks the first time that a helicopter, airplane, and virtual aircraft have accomplished a shared goal through mission and platform autonomy commanded by a single human.

The airplane executed search patterns for a missing person, updating and modifying flight plans based on a common operating picture. Once the person was located, the helicopter performed a casualty evacuation while the airplane continued to provide situational awareness from above. Virtual drones were also part of the search team, enhancing mission complexity. Safety pilots were on board the airplane and helicopter, while all flights were executed autonomously under the direction of a single mission commander controlling all assets.

This historic milestone was achieved through collaboration with the NRC's new Drone Innovation Hub where Ribbit is developing a strategic Canadian capability in fixed-wing autonomy. The combination of Ribbit's capabilities with the NRC's capabilities in rotary-wing autonomy were essential in achieving this milestone.

"By combining research with technology, we successfully demonstrated autonomous aircraft working together toward a shared mission. This collaboration highlights the power of Canadian innovation in advancing next-generation aviation capabilities." - Derek Gowanlock, Program Director for Aurora Shield, National Research Council of Canada

"Today's milestone was accomplished with impeccable speed and coordination between government and industry. I am extremely proud of what our teams have achieved, and look forward to continuing our work with NRC and DND/CAF." - Carl Pigeon, CEO of Ribbit

"The first pillar of the Defence Industrial Strategy is to build. When the right partners are backed by the right programs, Canada builds world-leading capabilities that strengthen our industrial base and maintain operational advantage." - Jeremy Wang, President & COO of Ribbit

This milestone follows over three years of close collaboration between Ribbit and the NRC in which Ribbit has been contracted to test its autonomous technology for high-priority dual-use missions across joint operations, tactical aviation, and public safety.

About Ribbit

Founded in 2020, Ribbit builds and operates autonomous airplanes for civil, humanitarian, and defence customers. Ribbit is a contractor of record to various government agencies responsible for research, public safety, transport, and defence. Ribbit also maintains strategic relationships with wholesalers, freight forwarders, Indigenous communities, and humanitarian groups who contract air cargo at scale. In 2023, Ribbit performed Canada's first hands-free round-trip flight—now a routine occurrence at select airports. Following hundreds of hours of autonomous flight, civil and military flight authorities, and repeat sales, Ribbit is proud to be a trusted partner to organizations seizing the potential of affordable autonomous aircraft.

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SOURCE Ribbit