Dr. Rafiq Ahmad RA
Chief Technology Officer
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Dr. Rafiq Ahmad

Chief Technology Officer, WasteParrot

Dr. Rafiq Ahmad is a distinguished innovator and thought leader in Smart Systems and Technologies, dedicated to transforming industries and enhancing societal well-being through cutting-edge advancements.

Renowned for his impactful contributions, Dr. Ahmad was honored with Edify Magazine's Edmonton Top 40 Under 40 Award (2022) for his trailblazing innovation and streamlined technology solutions that drive meaningful change. In 2023, his exemplary work in digital technology earned him the prestigious Alberta Science and Technology Award (ASTech) for Digital Technology Innovation.

As CTO of WasteParrot, Dr. Ahmad leads the engineering and systems architecture teams, overseeing the design of the drone hardware-software stack, 5G telemetry infrastructure, and the company's city-scale deployment systems.

🏆 Edmonton Top 40 Under 40 — 2022
⚗️ ASTech Award — 2023
🤖 Smart Systems & IoT
📡 Digital Technology Innovation
📍 Edmonton, AB · Canada
"Smart systems don't just automate processes — they elevate entire industries and create the infrastructure for a better tomorrow."
🏅 Top 40 Under 40 Edmonton 2022
⚗️ ASTech Digital Innovation 2023
🛠️ 500+ Drones Engineered
Recognition

Awards & Achievements

🏆
2022
Edmonton Top 40 Under 40
Edify Magazine — Recognized for trailblazing innovation and technology solutions driving meaningful change
⚗️
2023
ASTech Award — Digital Technology Innovation
Alberta Science and Technology Foundation — Exemplary work in digital technology innovation
🤖
2023
WasteParrot Drone Stack v2
Led complete redesign of drone hardware-software integration platform, achieving 40% efficiency improvement
📡
2024
5G Telemetry System Launch
Architected city-scale 5G drone telemetry infrastructure now operational in 42 cities
🔐
2024
ISO 27001 Certification
Led WasteParrot to ISO 27001 information security certification for all drone data systems
🌐
2025
Smart City Technology Leader
Named among Canada's Top 25 Smart City Technology Leaders by the Canadian Smart Cities Alliance
Technical Focus

Areas of Expertise

🏙️
Smart City Systems
IoT sensor networks, urban data platforms, and AI-driven municipal infrastructure
🚁
Drone Engineering
Hardware-software integration, flight control systems, and autonomous navigation stacks
📡
5G Telemetry
Low-latency real-time data streaming from drone fleets to cloud infrastructure
🔒
Secure Systems
ISO-compliant data security, end-to-end encryption, and GDPR-compliant architectures
⚡
Digital Innovation
Transforming traditional industries through applied digital technology and automation
🌿
Sustainable Tech
Energy-efficient systems design, solar-charged fleets, and zero-emission operations
Connect

Technology & Innovation Partnerships

Dr. Ahmad welcomes discussions on smart city technology, drone systems, and digital transformation initiatives.

Get In Touch Meet the Team