Canada Cree First Nation to get drone deliveries

Residents from a distant first Nation Island in northern Ontario will start receiving goods by next year.

The Moose Crime First Dash is signed a $ 2.5m (£ 1.5M) business deal with a drone delivery company to transfer supplies, medicine, food and mail from the mainland city of Moosonee.

Moose Factory Island is only accessible by boat in summer, ice road in winter and by helicopter at other times.

The drone delivery service will begin next spring, after a year of testing.

Drones will have a 5kg (11lb) maximum use for the approximately 5cm distance across the Moose River, where there is no bridge connecting the island's reserve of its nearest city.

"It may be challenging transporting goods, especially at this time of year, when the river is freezing," Moose Cree First Nation spokesman Paul Chakasim tells the BBC.

"It's really about trying to serve communities that lack infrastructure, where basic goods are very difficult to get, and when you can get them, it's very, very expensive," the head of Canada's Done Delivery (DDC) Tony Benenetto told Canadian broadcast CCB.

Stan Kapashesit of Mus Cree First Nation has said that usually his community was among the last to adapt technology, but now they are part of the future.

"The Drone Drone Delivery Platform is a valuable solution to connect remote communities and provide fast and efficient deliveries that were once not possible."

Mary. Kapashetit also told CBC he had the initiative today to help connect their indigenous population of some 4,400 and make a "train in the sky."