Demande d'informations

Our company

From civil aviation to modern droneautics

Coming from the world of civil aviation piloting, Exo Drone was created in 2014 as a professional training center for drone pilots. Given its curriculum focused on methods already in place for manned aviation, major commercial players have joined Exo Drone in training their personnel and delivering missions. In recent years, Exo Drone has increasingly dedicated itself to providing consulting expertise to major companies, developing advanced drone solutions and specialized operations for its commercial clients.

Our history

1992

At the beginning

Creation of the ALM Par Avion flying school in Mascouche by Josée Dufour and 1 co-owner.
Ms. Dufour will manage, jointly with the co-owner, for more than 20 years.

2014

Exo Drone is created

ALM Par avion created the drone division: Exo Drone with Benoit Germain as manager

2015

Recognized establishment

We are becoming one of the rare drone schools named: “Recognized educational establishment”!
Advanced or Pro pilot training becomes tax deductible.

2018

Thermodynamics

Exo Drone and Thermodynamic join forces to better serve SOPFEU Exo Drone becomes a
compliant operator in Canada (or Compliant Operator)

Drone supplier for the RCMP

2022

Investment and Aéro Montréal

Exo Drone, receives a private investment of $1.5M bringing together several members of the Benoit Family.
This new investor joins Exo Drone's existing partners, such as Aéro Montréal and the Alma Drone Center of Excellence (CED),
advantageously positioning Exo Drone in this booming industry.

2023

SOPFEU

Intensive summer with SOPFEU to fight fires in Quebec. First operations in “out of visual range” mode.
First operations with a VTOL (vertical takeoff and landing) system.

2024

Exo Drone celebrates its 10th anniversary 🎂

Our team

Benoit Germain

Owner/ Business Development

B.B.A. - ÉCOLE DES HAUTES COMMERCIALES, Benoit is an effective, results-oriented manager with over 5 years' experience in financial auditing as an auditor and over 20 years' relevant experience in the following sectors:- Participated in the creation of the very first Electronic Sign

Marketing company, in 1997;
- Financial auditor (Desforges, Germain, McSween & Ass. AND Moquin, Ménard, Giroux & Ass.);
- Set up financial structures for American Film Productions, filmed in Quebec;
- Company turnarounds;              
- International artist management;
- International project management;
- Private pilot license holder;
- Manager of Alm Par Avions, a flight school.

Benoit then founded Exo Drone in July 2014.

Josee Dufour

Owner/ Special Projects and Advertising

After toggling between graphics and electricity (as a 4th year apprentice electrician), Josée will start an airplane piloting course in Mascouche. She will become an airplane pilot.

Love at first sight is immediate ! This is his future!

She therefore opened an airplane pilot school alm Par avion, with another co-owner. The school will begin with an ultralight and continue 20 years later with 9 aircraft for courses and 3 aircraft for rental.

20 years later, drones became a logical continuation of planes, she opened Exo Drone with Benoit Germain.

Jean-François Pominville

Executive Director

An architectural and industrial designer by training, Jean-François began his career as an associate in an architecture and design firm, then continued in the fields of prefabricated and modular construction as a project manager, responsible for production and factory manager.

Having always had a strong interest in aeronautics, his passion for helicopters and piloting in general took a turn towards the field of droneautics in 2015, by enrolling in the Exo Drone professional course. Graduating in 2016, he was then an instructor and then an external consultant for the company before joining as executive director in August 2022, where he leads various development projects with the team.

Jerome Bouche

Flight Operations Manager

After training in IT and networks, I have 15 years of experience in IT maintenance and combined systems. I also have training as an airplane pilot and flight instructor. I am responsible for aerial operations at Exo drone. Passionate technologist, enthusiast of radio-controlled flying objects.

Francois Samoissette

Instructeur et pilote

Passionate and versatile, Francois Samoisette began his career as a teacher and project manager in Information Technology. He completed his pilot training at Exo Drone and graduated in 2016. That's when he joined the team as a trainer and flight instructor. Certified Advanced Operations pilot by Transport Canada, he still takes care of the theoretical and practical training aspects with our students. Constantly on the lookout for new technologies and their constraints, in order to better understand the vulnerabilities surrounding the drone industry, in 2023 he completed a certificate in cyber investigation at the Polytechnique de Montréal and tackled a second certificate in Operational Analysis and Cybersecurity.

Marie-Lou Lemieux

Adjointe administrative

Biotechnology student currently pursuing a certificate in administration. Her great capacity for adaptation and her versatility make her a collaborator ready to take on new challenges with flexibility and enthusiasm within the Exo Drone team.

LaurenceDufour-Martel

Adjointe aux finances

Laurence holds a multidisciplinary bachelor's degree focused on management, human resources and marketing. Currently finance assistant and secretary of the Board of Directors of Exo Drone, Laurence demonstrates leadership and pragmatism.

Richard Laferriere

Coach exécutif / Président CSL Solutions

With more than 35 years of experience as an entrepreneur and business manager, Richard Laferrière is a seasoned entrepreneur who has contributed to the development of several companies. Entrepreneur, Mr. Laferrière founded the Coscient Group of which he assumed the presidency and management and also founded FRV Media and served as president and CEO. Two companies listed on the TSX and TSXV stock exchanges.

Mr. Laferrière founded CSL Solutions, an executive consulting and coaching firm that helps his clients align their innovative business model, develop their internal leadership and implement their action plan. His network of contacts, his role as Expert Coach Mentor with HEC-Montreal as part of the Executive School, his experience in implementing growth strategies and his relationships with several investors are a guarantee of success for his clients.

Holder of a bachelor's degree in biological sciences from the University of Quebec at Trois-Rivières, he completed the Executive Coach training at the Management Coaching school and is a certified professional Coach, member of ICF Quebec and International. He was a member of the Order of Chartered Administrators of Quebec, a member of the Quebec chapter of the Young Presidents organization YPO.

Mr. Laferrière received an honorary diploma from HEC Montréal in 1995 as a Builder of Quebec and was named a new performer in 1998 and recognized as a Builder of the 20th century by Commerce magazine in 1999.

Board of Directors

Yves Girard

Retired sergeant from the Sûreté du Québec (SQ)

Mr. Girard's career path has allowed him to develop several skills, particularly in the field of search and rescue training, heliport operations and aviation safety.

Mr. Girard innovated by establishing the position of airborne program coordinator. This responsibility led him to review the entire structure of the globalization of aviation security of the Sûreté du Québec. He was also responsible for several projects, including aerial surveillance, drone operations, retransmission of helicopter images and the acquisition of equipment relating to helicopters and search and rescue.

Mr. Girard's career gave him the opportunity to collaborate closely with services of the S.Q. (Investigations and Emergency Measures), government agencies (Transport Canada, Government Air Service of Quebec and St-Hubert), AéroNolisation, regional airlines and several other police forces.

During his career, Mr. Girard received several distinctions:

  • Medal for twenty years of service;
  • Bar of thirty years of service;
  • Vigilance and Loyalty Medal for his contribution and involvement with the Sûreté du Québec
  • Excellence in Innovation Award from the National Search and Rescue Secretariat of Canada.

Mr. Girard has been on the board of directors of Exo Drone since July 2023.

Sylvain Viau

Mr. Viau, a career military officer (37 years as a senior officer in land communications engineering) and independent advisor/international auditor in cybersecurity (20 years).

Presently involved in ISO certification and accreditation, a world-class company as a senior advisor and international accredited verifier for ISO standards (27001, 22301, 28000 and 37001)

Founder of the International Security Division (DSI) and International Innovations and Services (IIS)Member of different CAs (DSI, IIS and Exo Drone ) Veteran of the Canadian Armed Forces.

Loves contributing to eco-responsible and technological infrastructure projects.

André Halley

Halley has a 50-year career in various industries on five continents.

Currently involved in consulting and management functions:
Chairman of JAKARTO: HD 3D AI Infrastructure Mapping
Member of the Board of Directors of IHA Canada Inc. for a seniors' residential village
Senior Advisor, Incendia Canada Inc. for AI intelligent smoke alarm technology.
Senior Advisor, Sekurcorp Inc. for the defensive security industry (Canada and U.S.)
Previously held senior management and board positions in various companies:
President PREVETEC MICROBIA INC. an animal health biotechnology. (Canada)
Senior Advisor to the Chairman QATAR TELECOM now Ooredoo (Qatar)
CEO of Ooredoo ALGERIE, Algeria's leading GSM multimedia operator (Algeria)
Member of the Board of Directors of SKYWAVE Communications, in the field of M2M satellites. (Canada)
Executive Vice-President of ORBCOMM, a global satellite provider of M2M and IoT solutions. (United States)
TELEGLOBE CANADA Regional Vice President for Europe and Africa. International Telecommunications Services (Germany)
Vice-President of BELL MOBILITY. Mobile operator (Canada)

Henri Petit

Mr. Petit, B.A. (Laval University), LL.L. (University of Ottawa), is a lawyer by profession and has been a member of the Quebec Bar since 1991.

- He practiced law with the firm Guy & Gilbert until 1993, before creating his own firm in 1996, which he operated and managed until 2006.
- Mr. Petit founded Corporation Immobilière GHP in 1996, which was rolled over in 2018 into Émergia Inc. a real estate company listed on the Canadian Securities Exchange (CSE), of which he has been President and CEO since December 2018 and a member of the Board of Directors since January 2018, in addition to sitting on various Board committees.
- In June 2020, he was also appointed Chairman of the Board. Since May 2023, Mr. Petit has also been a member of Exo Drone's Board of Directors.

Mr. Petit has extensive experience in real estate acquisition, development, construction and management. He has also participated in numerous international transactions (United States and Europe).
Mr. Petit has also served as a member of various advisory committees for companies operating in different fields, including technology, printing, real estate and construction. Over the years, Mr. Petit has also helped organize numerous fundraising events for non-profit organizations.

Benoit Germain

Owner/ Business Development