A blimp-like aircraft seen flying above the Dartmouth side of Halifax harbour, Wednesday, created quite a buzz.
Many people saw it flying throughout the day and went online to voice their excitement as well as their concerns.
Some thought it might be a UFO, others simply wondered what it was doing. One person joked that after seeing the backlash Ontario Premier Doug Ford got for purchasing a private jet in May, Tim Houston opted to take an alternative route.
The aircraft has been confirmed to be part of the NATO Innovation Continuum, in Halifax.
The event runs from Oct. 5-9, and brings together military representatives, defense industry leaders, researchers and government workers from across NATO and allied nations.
It’s being hosted by COVE (Centre for Ocean Ventures and Entrepreneurship) Solutions, a company that works in the marine defence and security sector, among other tech ventures.
“Hosting the Innovation Continuum here shows how Canadian ingenuity, expertise and infrastructure is shaping defence technologies not only for Canada but for the entire NATO Alliance,” said Melanie Nadeau, CEO of COVE in a press release. “COVE provides a platform to test whether technologies work together, understand how they perform in realistic environments and create a pathway for the capabilities that prove their value to move forward.”
THE KELLUU AIRCRAFT SEEN ABOVE DARTMOUTH HARBOUR – VIDEO: RYLIE PEACOCK
Part of that testing involves the Kelluu surveillance aircraft, which was scene above the Halifax skyline today.
Kelluu is a Finnish company that claims to operate the world’s largest autonomous airship fleet. Their ships are designed to deliver large-scale aerial data for defence, infrastructure and environmental use.
In a post on their social media, COVE said that members of the public might not only see the airship, but also drones and various vessels on the water.
They say it’s all part of a planned, controlled technology demonstration and that it has been coordinated with local authorities to keep the surrounding community safe.
