'Move stuff forward': Avro Aerospace opens venture studio in Regina

A company with a Regina connection is preparing to launch rockets into space. Avro Aerospace is assembling teams in Saskatchewan and Alberta to work on the project.

On Tuesday, the company held its grand opening of the Avro Venture Studio in Regina.

The studio will serve as a hub for the company’s orbital/launch operations and the development of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning (AI/ML) models to assist manoeuverability in UAVS, rockets and advanced supersonic air travel.

“We currently have eight folks here at the AVRO Venture Lab upon its founding,” CEO Vladimir Mravcak told CTV News. “We hope to expand phase two by the end of the year which will be up to 20 employees.”

Engineering teams are being assembled in both Calgary and Regina.

“There’s a lot of cross synergies with the innovations that we’re looking at and an opportunity to move stuff forward,” engineer Will Ingenthron explained.

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City officials and investors attended the company’s Regina launch.

According to Avro’s VP of Public Engagement Regan Hinchcliffe – the company’s vision is to lift payloads into orbit alongside major players like SpaceX.

“The innovators that are building these satellites are facing huge logistical hurdles and costs sending them over to the south and then having to wait months to get their satellite to respective orbit,” he said.

“So with AVRO Aerospace, we want to provide a very specific limousine service.”

Future rocket launches will likely continue from Alberta where infrastructure currently exists.

Engineering and business development jobs are coming to Saskatchewan with dozens of additional positions expected as rocket development progresses.

Avro Aerospace was founded in 2012 and is headquartered in Calgary, Alta. The company’s mission is to reach orbit from Canada and to advance space exploration through enabling technologies.