Landing Zones Canada Inc. (LZC) and Japan’s Meisei Electric Co., Ltd. have agreed to combine LZC’s Eagle remotely piloted aircraft system (RPAS) with Meisei’s ultra-compact stratospheric observation platform. The companies signed an International Project Consortium Agreement (IPCA) at the Embassy of Canada to Japan in Tokyo on 1 October.

The agreement provides for joint planning of stratospheric flight campaigns in Canada, pairing the recoverable high-altitude Eagle with Meisei’s balloon platform. The work targets meteorological observation, disaster response and security applications. It will include joint test design, high-altitude deployment and recovery trials, and evaluation of reusable observation and communications payloads.

Preparations and initial trials are due to start this fall in Alberta and Canada’s Arctic, ahead of three years of flight campaigns. LZC Chief Executive Officer Spencer Fraser said Meisei contributes “world-class stratospheric balloon technology.”

Eagle ascends into the stratosphere on a balloon, then releases and glides autonomously toward its target. Meisei President and Representative Director Masanobu Natsuake described LZC’s contribution as “technologies for deploying uncrewed aircraft from the stratosphere and operating at high altitude.”

The companies frame the project as an industry initiative under the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership signed by Prime Minister Mark Carney and Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi on 6 March 2026. Fraser said the IPCA “gives practical effect to the partnership” established by the two leaders.

LZC develops remotely piloted aircraft for stratospheric atmospheric sampling and military live-training threat emulation. It is headquartered in Medicine Hat, Alberta, and has a second office in Erin, Ontario.

The Meisei agreement follows several investments and support announcements earlier this year. In March, Prairies Economic Development Canada announced Regional Artificial Intelligence Initiative support for artificial intelligence work on LZC’s GITPO RPAS. That project is expected to support 12 jobs.

In April, LZC became the first recipient of an investment from the Business Development Bank of Canada’s $300-million StrongNorth Fund. The venture capital fund backs early-stage Canadian companies developing defence-focused or dual-use technologies. Managing Partner Peter Suma said LZC “represents exactly the kind of defence deep-tech capability Canada needs to build at home.”

Airbus Defence and Space followed on 22 July with a strategic partnership signed at the Farnborough International Airshow, including an investment in LZC and a seat on its board. The investment supports Airbus’s Industrial and Technological Benefits commitments under the Strategic Tanker Transport Capability acquisition. LZC also represents Airbus Defence and Space Services in Canada.

The Airbus partnership focuses on simulation and training services; the Meisei agreement covers the stratospheric platform. Fraser said in July that Airbus’s investment would accelerate LZC’s development of threat emulation technologies for modern drone threats.

Financial details remain limited. The IPCA announcement gives no financial terms, and neither the StrongNorth nor the Airbus investment amount has been disclosed.

Natsuake said Meisei would conduct the stratospheric demonstrations in Canadian airspace through “responsible technology development and safe demonstration activities”. Both companies identify weather monitoring, disaster response and security in Canada and Japan as applications for the work.

Read more about BDC’s defence funds and StrongNorth allocations and the separate MINERVA Arctic uncrewed-aircraft initiative.