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UAS Centre of Excellence investing $8.7 million in Saguenay–Lac-St-Jean

Unmanned Aerial System Centre of Excellence Press Release | August 28, 2024

Estimated reading time 6 minutes, 48 seconds.

The Unmanned Aerial System Centre of Excellence (CED) – a leader in the design, application and operation of drones – is investing $8.7 million in the SaguenayLac-Saint-Jean region of Quebec to create modern infrastructure with state-of-the-art flight test equipment for remotely-piloted aircraft.

The investment will enable the Centre to fast-track the development of its activities in Quebec and internationally. 

The Quebec government is contributing up to $2.5 million in the Horizon project, which will benefit both the aerospace industry and the SaguenayLac-Saint-Jean region, where the new operational deployment sites will be located.

This strategic investment will position the CED as a key player in the RPAS (remotely-piloted aircraft system) ecosystem in Quebec and internationally.

The CED team will certify autonomous and ecoresponsible aircraft, carry out remotely-piloted operations, and conduct research and development (R&D) from its new deployment sites, scheduled to open in the fall of 2024. 

With this investment, the CED will be able to meet the operational needs of all players in the advanced aerospace industry, including RPAS subsystem and payload integrators, original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and end-users of aerospace systems and RPAS in the aviation industry of tomorrow.

Value-added services and state-of-the-art equipment

The CED plans to expand its range of services to include test bed operations, operational support for RPAS, development of sustainable products and technologies, urban transport infrastructure, and remotely-piloted aircraft activities. 

Thanks to these investments, the Centre will be equipped with test benches, high-performance drones, mobile control stations, intelligent systems and infrastructures, as well as specialized equipment for airspace management and ground tests.

Sector collaboration

This collaborative project will stimulate innovation and support R&D activities for future autonomous aerial systems as well as encouraging technology transfer and applied research between players in the ecosystem.

Thanks to a market-pull approach, end customers – such as organizations working in agriculture, heavy industry, civil security, etc. – will play an active role in defining the needs of new aerospace products and services.

They will also contribute to technology development by providing real-life uses that will translate into concrete business cases. In this way, the CED will be integrated into the development process of new advanced aerospace products, reinforcing its central role in the RPAS ecosystem.

“With the acquisition of its new mobile air traffic control station, the CED will be able to develop expertise that is essential to our aerospace industry in Quebec. It’s a project that will stimulate innovation while contributing to economic vitality and job creation in the Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean region,” said Pierre Fitzgibbon, Minister of Economy, Innovation and Energy, Minister Responsible for Regional Economic Development and Minister Responsible for the Metropolis and the Montréal Region

“Thanks to the CED, the Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean region has developed recognized expertise in the civil and commercial drone sector. We are proud to support its growth project, which will enable the region to strengthen its international leadership in a promising area of the aerospace industry,” said Éric Girard, MNA for Lac-Saint-Jean and Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Municipal Affairs

“This project will act as a catalyst to stimulate research, innovation and the development of cutting-edge skills in a sector of the future, in collaboration with regional institutions. This major investment, which is in line with the Quebec Aerospace Strategy, will also help strengthen Espace Aéro,” said Suzanne M. Benoit, Chair of the Board of Directors of the Unmanned Aerial System Centre of Excellence 

“This important project will contribute to the advancement of future autonomous aerial systems thanks to its collaborative approach to innovation and research and development. These investments will also

promote the sustainable transition of Quebec’s aerospace industry,” said William De Keiser, acting general manager of the Unmanned Aerial System Centre of Excellence.

“The Horizon project is a perfect example of what can be achieved when industry players come together around a common vision. This investment strengthens our position as leaders in the civil and commercial drone industry, while supporting innovation and technological development in the Saguenay–Lac-SaintJean region. We’re proud to see our region playing a central role in the advancement of autonomous aerial systems, and in the transformation of Quebec’s aerospace industry,” said Sébastien Long, president of the ACCORD Civil and Commercial Drones Cluster.

The Unmanned Aerial System Centre of Excellence (CED) is a community of interest and a non-profit organization (NPO) specialized in the development, management and promotion of a range of services and skills related to the drone sector, in collaboration with players in the remotely-piloted aircraft system (RPAS) and aerospace industries.

The Innovation Centre is recognized nationally and internationally for its expertise in the design, application and operation of drones.

This press release was prepared and distributed by Unmanned Aerial System Centre of Excellence.

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