Changes

Project Hummingbird is a [[ROEB-Digital Transformation|ROEB Digital Transformation]] initiative supported by [[Health Canada's Solutions Fund]]. The goal was to test the value of data acquired through satellites and drones to enhance inspections involving outdoor cannabis licence holders. The core technology tested as part of the experiment is called “remote sensing,” but the goal of the experiment was to understand, test, and showcase opportunities that went beyond the science or the technology. The experiment included components of infrastructure, legal frameworks, ethics, operationalization, cost and other considerations. The experiment began in 2019 through a Solutions Fund Stream I. The Stream II portion of the experiment came to a conclusion in June 2021, but the project was approved for continuation within the ROEB Cannabis Directorate.  

Project Hummingbird is a [[ROEB-Digital Transformation|ROEB Digital Transformation]] initiative supported by Health Canada's [https://www.gcpedia.gc.ca/wiki/Health_Canada_Innovation_and_Experimentation Solutions Fund]. The goal was to test the value of data acquired through satellites and drones to enhance inspections involving outdoor cannabis licence holders. The core technology tested as part of the experiment is called “remote sensing,” but the goal of the experiment was to understand, test, and showcase opportunities that went beyond the science or the technology. The experiment included components of infrastructure, legal frameworks, ethics, operationalization, cost and other considerations. The experiment began in 2019 through a Solutions Fund Stream I. The Stream II portion of the experiment came to a conclusion in June 2021, but the project was approved for continuation within the ROEB Cannabis Directorate.  

The journey has taken us to so many places through pivots and working through challenges. The pandemic created even greater opportunities that allowed for accelerated learning, which was only possible due to the amazing people involved in the project. Without their openness, flexibility, agility and willingness to be vulnerable to unknown outputs, the project would not be a success.

The journey has taken us to so many places through pivots and working through challenges. The pandemic created even greater opportunities that allowed for accelerated learning, which was only possible due to the amazing people involved in the project. Without their openness, flexibility, agility and willingness to be vulnerable to unknown outputs, the project would not be a success.

The project team was able to share our excitement with the directorate and the branch. We wanted to experiment with how the project’s lessons learned could be most creatively communicated, so we hired a video production team to produce a short film. After a warm reception of the trailer by our DG, we were invited to screen the film at a [[Cannabis Directorate]] all staff and at the Branch Executive Committee.  

The project team was able to share our excitement with the directorate and the branch. We wanted to experiment with how the project’s lessons learned could be most creatively communicated, so we hired a video production team to produce a short film. After a warm reception of the trailer by our DG, we were invited to screen the film at a [[Cannabis Directorate]] all staff and at the Branch Executive Committee.  

As the COVID pandemic begin to plateau, the inspection programs began to pivot once again, allowing yet another opportunity for this project to explore new opportunities.  Late in 2021, with the limited return to some high priority on site activities, Project Hummingbird teamed up with the Cannabis Directorate CMP team to perform a limited number of targeted one-day onsite visits supported by UAVs while concomitantly collecting satellite imagery for that same site over the entire growing season. This approach allowed us for the first time to directly compare the two technologies at the same sites using the same requirements. This direct comparison allowed the project team to gain meaningful data on which technology may be more suitable to support various compliance and enforcement activities undertaken by ROEB inspection programs.     

As the COVID pandemic begin to plateau, the inspection programs began to pivot once again, allowing yet another opportunity for this project to explore new opportunities. Late in 2021, with the limited return to some high priority on site activities, Project Hummingbird teamed up with the Cannabis Directorate CMP team to perform a limited number of targeted one-day onsite visits supported by UAVs while concomitantly collecting satellite imagery for that same site over the entire growing season. This approach allowed us for the first time to directly compare the two technologies at the same sites using the same requirements. This direct comparison allowed the project team to gain meaningful data on which technology may be more suitable to support various compliance and enforcement activities undertaken by ROEB inspection programs.     

=== Let’s Learn Together! ===

=== Let’s Learn Together! ===