Ontario Tech defence drones research has gained a new route to federal contracts after the Oshawa university qualified as a supplier in Canada’s Defence Drone Initiative Marketplace.
Ontario Tech says it is the only university in Ontario among the qualified suppliers. The status allows it to compete for future Department of National Defence work involving Canadian drone and autonomous technologies.
University qualifies under innovation stream
The university qualified under Stream 5, Innovation and Experimentation. That stream allows Ontario Tech to propose and demonstrate emerging technology that could support future Canadian Armed Forces capabilities.
Its capabilities include environmental and vibration testing, evaluating resilience to signal jamming and satellite-navigation disruption, autonomous systems, artificial intelligence, robotics, sensors and cybersecurity.
Qualification does not itself announce an awarded contract. It places the university in a five-year supply arrangement through which qualified organizations may compete for future opportunities.
ACE facility supports testing in Oshawa
Ontario Tech’s ACE research and testing facility is also a NATO DIANA test centre. The federal government announced a $5-million investment in May to expand ACE as a Canadian defence technology hub.
The Defence Drone Initiative covers uncrewed and autonomous systems, counter-drone technologies and related capabilities. The October 8 announcement expands the potential role of Ontario Tech defence drones expertise, but no specific contract value or project was announced.
