Volatus Aerospace: An FAA Cargo Deadline, a GPS-Free Flight Test, and a Stock Trading Above Its 50-Day Line

Volatus Aerospace US Corp has filed for an FAA exemption to fly the 393.50-pound FB3 drone, as its Mirabel plant and V-Cortex platform advance.

Volatus Aerospace is asking US regulators for permission to fly a heavy-lift drone in civilian airspace, and the clock is now running on that request. The Canadian unmanned-systems specialist's subsidiary, Volatus Aerospace US Corp, has filed for an exemption covering the FB3 platform built by manufacturer FlyingBasket SRL, a machine with a maximum weight of 393.50 pounds. Comments on the application are due at the Federal Aviation Administration by October 6, 2026.

The filing, lodged roughly two weeks ago, sketches out a fairly broad mission set: demonstration flights, external cargo carriage, and support work on telecommunications infrastructure. It marks a push beyond routine inspection work into industrial transport — though any commercial entry into that segment hinges on whether US authorities grant a lasting green light for operations in civil airspace. Since the application went in, the share price has shed 7.8 percent.

Mirabel Plant Already Running

On the industrial side, Volatus has locked in its production footing. The company's facility in Mirabel, Québec, is now officially up and running, spanning 53,000 square feet and already operational. The site turns out drone docking stations and handles system integration and assembly for V-series aircraft and other autonomous systems, consolidating manufacturing steps under one roof.

Running in parallel is the V-Cortex autonomy platform, which cleared an initial round of flight tests about two weeks ago. During those trials, the system navigated without GPS or any external sensors, steering itself using onboard hardware alone — no off-board high-performance computers were needed. That capability matters for missions in denied or shielded environments, where satellite signals can't be trusted. Volatus has flagged further test flights and customer demonstrations for the current year. The stock has given up 10.6 percent since those first tests.

Contracts, a Capital Raise, and a Fresh Rating

These operational steps sit on top of earlier corporate moves. A five-year drone supply contract with the Canadian Army was signed a little over three weeks ago, and the shares have slipped 9.5 percent since. A bought-deal placement completed more than a month ago opened up financial headroom but has coincided with a 16.1 percent decline in the interim.

Desjardins initiated coverage on September 23 with a Buy rating; analyst Benoit Poirier set a price target of CAD 0.90. The company's market capitalization stands at EUR 244.15 million. The stock closed yesterday at EUR 0.3475, holding above its 50-day moving average of EUR 0.3331 — a premium of 4.3 percent.

For now, the market's posture remains cautious even as the production lines in Mirabel ramp and V-Cortex moves through its test program. The central question for investors is how quickly the new capacity and the autonomy work translate into operating results.