A Squamish, B.C. based company announced it is partnering with the City of Kelowna and Okanagan College (OC) to make Kelowna International Airport (YLW) a hub for aerospace and drone innovation.
FireSwarm announced it recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the City of Kelowna, and a second MOU with Okanagan College, committing to ongoing collaboration that will grow the company’s operations in the Interior. The announcement was made at the Union of BC Municipalities (UBCM) convention in Vancouver.
“Innovation and collaboration are key drivers of Kelowna’s growing economy. As home to Canada’s largest municipally owned and operated airport at YLW, we’re proud to foster partnerships that bring together talent, ideas, and opportunity,” says City of Kelowna Mayor Tom Dyas. “This partnership represents an exciting step forward, creating the potential to advance wildfire resilience solutions, support high-quality jobs for future generations, and reinforce Kelowna’s reputation as a hub for innovation, investment, and economic growth.”
In 2025, FireSwarm says it partnered with the Kelowna Fire Department (KFD) to conduct an integrated training exercise on Knox Mountain to demonstrate the company’s automated drone-swarm platform and its potential for wildfire suppression. The test was conducted with observers from Transport Canada, BC Wildfire Service and other leading agencies, and was the first step towards FireSwarm’s partnership with the City. FireSwarm says partnering with YLW and OC positions the region to showcase how technology and systems built for emergency response can also serve broader civilian, sovereign and dual-use needs.
“Partnering with the City of Kelowna and Okanagan College lets FireSwarm grow our presence in a region that has shown itself to be forward-thinking, innovative, and one that knows firsthand what’s at stake when wildfire strikes,” said Alex Deslauriers, FireSwarm Solutions. “We expect this collaboration to create new jobs at YLW and make a meaningful contribution to the Canadian economy. ”
FireSwarm also says its partnership with Okanagan College reflects a joint commitment to develop and launch new programs that would allow aircraft maintenance engineers (AME) to be trained in drone-specific technologies and structures.
“Kelowna has an opportunity to become a leader in the next generation of aerospace and aviation, and that requires more than technology – it requires people with the skills to put that technology to work. Okanagan College is building that talent pipeline,” said Dr. Neil Fassina, president, Okanagan College. “Our partnership with FireSwarm will help ensure aircraft maintenance engineers and other aerospace professionals are equipped for an industry increasingly shaped by uncrewed systems, AI and advanced manufacturing, while our new training facility at YLW gives us the space to turn that opportunity into workforce-ready training.”
The three partners say their MOUs are intended as a starting point, rather than a single announcement.
“This is a catalyst for B.C.’s economic growth opportunities,” said Alex Deslauriers, FireSwarm Solutions. “Collectively, we look forward to continued and enhanced federal, provincial and private partnership investments to advance this opportunity for B.C. and Canada.”
