December 12, 2024 | Local, Land
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization’s (NATO) Defence Innovation Accelerator for the North Atlantic (DIANA) has announced the successful innovators in 2024’s competitive challenges. These firms – seven of whom are Canadian – will be joining NATO DIANA’s 2025 cohort of innovators. Challenges focused on several innovation areas in security and defence, including data and information security, critical infrastructure and logistics, and human health and performance.
July 22, 2021 | Local, Aerospace
Le Canada a discrètement effectué au printemps un nouveau versement de plusieurs millions de dollars pour le développement du chasseur furtif F-35, même si le gouvernement ne sait toujours pas s'il en achètera — et malgré les appels d'artistes et de militants à ne pas acheter de nouveaux avions de combat.
June 5, 2020 | Local, Aerospace, Security
Public Safety Canada has selected Kongsberg Geospatial, Larus Technologies and the Civil Air Search and Rescue Association of Canada (CASARA) to integrate geospatial software, artificial intelligence, and machine vision software to help develop new methods for the use of drones in search and rescue operations in remote communities in Canada. The project will be funded by the Search and Rescue New Initiatives Fund (SARNIF) and has been dubbed OVERSEE – an acronym for “Optical Vision Enhancement and Refinement of Sensor Exploitation Effectiveness”. The OVERSEE project is intended to help address the unique challenges of conducting search and rescue operations in remote areas (such as indigenous communities in the Arctic and their immediate surrounding area) with UAS platforms. OVERSEE will initially employ available search and rescue statistics from the Department of National Defence, CASARA, Transport Canada and other agencies and execute simulations driven by Artificial Intelligence. The AI will use Deep Learning techniques to investigate how BVLOS regulation effects SAR efforts that make use of drones, and how drones have been integrated most effectively in search and rescue operations, particularly for isolated indigenous communities in Canada's North that don't have quick access to Aeronautical search and rescue assets. Ultimately the goal of this research is to help CASARA members and GSAR (Ground Search and Rescue) workers use BVLOS drones more effectively in search and rescue operations. Kongsberg Geospatial will be leading the project, contributing their expertise in precision mapping, Air Traffic Management, and the development of multi-vehicle UAS control stations for BVLOS missions to help develop tools and procedures for the safe, effective use of drones for search and rescue missions in remote areas. They will also be contributing tools and training for machine vision techniques. Larus Technologies specializes in Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) systems for defence applications, and will be contributing their Total::Perception™ simulation engine and Total::Vision™ computer vision technology to the project. CASARA will be helping to gather drone video from training exercises throughout Canada in cooperation with its volunteers, as well as search and rescue event statistics from community organizations. Upon completion of the project, CASARA membership will help to circulate the SOPs derived from the project to their membership of Civil Air Search and Rescue workers and volunteers across Canada to ensure that everyone has access to the improved UAS SAR guidance. While the project is primarily funded through Public Safety Canada's SARNIF fund, all three partners will be making in-kind contributions in software licenses, technology, and professional services. The OVERSEE project is expected to be completed sometime in 2021. https://www.unmannedairspace.info/latest-news-and-information/canada-launches-ai-drone-project-to-find-ways-to-effectively-manage-bvlos-search-and-rescue-operations/
February 18, 2020 | Local, Naval
Rolls-Royce has started expansion work on its Centre of Excellence for Naval Handling equipment in Peterborough, Ontario, Canada. The ground-breaking ceremony was witnessed by Peterborough-Kawartha Minister Maryam Monsef, Provincial Parliament Member Dave Smith, and Peterborough Mayor Diane Therrien. The newly expanded facility will accommodate the design and manufacture of Rolls-Royce Mission Bay Handling System (MBHS). MBHS is a manufacturing system that will support the Canadian Surface Combatant (CSC), as well as the UK's Type 26 and Australian Hunter-class programmes. The MBHS offers a flexible and compatible low-risk solution, holding the capability to launch and recover naval vehicles. It can also move containerised packages without the aid of a dockside crane. Rolls-Royce Business Development & Government Affairs vice-president Bruce Lennie said: “We are pleased to welcome Minister Monsef, MPP Smith and Mayor Therrien to mark this significant milestone in developing our infrastructure, which will support the Canadian Surface Combatant programme. “This centre will harness and build upon the wealth of Canadian engineering and technological expertise we have at Rolls-Royce. We look forward to growing our business in-country, further developing our supply chain and enhancing our contributions to the Canadian economy.” The upcoming infrastructure expansion is aimed to benefit the Canadian economy and Canada's Armed Forces. The Global Combat Ship design for ships CSC ships have been approved by the Canadian Federal Government. Under the deal, 15 new CSC ships are to be manufactured. According to the company, the Canadian supply chain network has also been expanded to support the domestic and international export openings created by the Global Combat Ship programme. Rolls-Royce currently has over 1,000 Canadian workforces across five facilities, including in Montreal, Ottawa and Peterborough. https://www.naval-technology.com/news/rolls-royce-invests-in-facility-expansion-for-canadas-csc-project/