Canada greenlights drone-based avalanche blasting tech

For nearly 80 years, avalanche safety crews in Canada have battled unstable snow with World War II artillery, helicopter drops, and risky ground missions. Now, a Canadian drone company says it has a safer, faster, and more precise way to get the job done — and the government just gave it the green light.

AVSS, best known for its parachute recovery systems for drones, has received a nationwide Special Flight Operations Certificate from Transport Canada to use its SnowDart system for avalanche control. The approval means AVSS can send drones into avalanche-prone areas to drop low-cost, eco-friendly explosives — all without putting crews in harm’s way.

The solution, part of AVSS’s Precision Avalanche Management System (PAMS), combines flight-planning software, autonomous navigation, and consumable SnowDarts. Once dropped, the devices trigger controlled blasts to release dangerous snow loads. The drones also collect detailed performance data, giving operators valuable insights for future missions.

AVSS started developing the technology in 2020, with support from Transport Canada and FEDDEV. Over several years, the company tested drop mechanisms, refined pyrotechnic delivery systems, and navigated regulatory hurdles for storing and manufacturing explosives. The new approval now opens the door to commercial use by ski resorts, mining companies, and government agencies, and to international sales through AVSS’s global dealer network.

Traditional avalanche control is both costly and dangerous. Helicopter drops require highly skilled pilots flying close to unstable slopes. Howitzer crews fire heavy artillery shells into avalanche paths, a method that hasn’t changed much since WWII. Remote Avalanche Control Systems (RACS) can work well but are expensive to build and maintain, and only cover fixed locations.

Drones offer a new option. They’re cheaper to operate, require smaller teams, and can fly when helicopters are grounded or RACS are down for maintenance. Most importantly, they keep people far from danger zones.

This isn’t about replacing every tool, AVSS says. It’s about giving avalanche teams another option, one that improves safety and efficiency.

With the SFOC in place, AVSS is now preparing for full-scale deployment, aiming to prove that drones can do in minutes, and at a fraction of the cost, what once required heavy artillery and helicopter crews.

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