A new remotely piloted aircraft (RPA) test centre will soon begin operations in the Canadian province of Quebec.
The facility in the Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean region is scheduled to open this autumn and aims to support the operational needs of companies across the aerospace industry, including remote aircraft subsystem and payload integrators, original equipment manufacturers and aircraft operators.
The project is a collaboration between the provincial government, which is contributing $1.84 million to the effort, and the Unmanned Aerial System Center of Excellence (CED), a Quebec-based non-profit organisation.
“This collaborative project will stimulate innovation and support research and development activities for future autonomous aerial systems as well as encouraging technology transfer and applied research between players in the ecosystem,” the CED says.
The industry group first announced the RPA test site project in 2019, with construction beginning in 2021. Among the offerings at the new centre will be test benches, high-performance drones, mobile control stations and specialised equipment for airspace management and ground tests, the CED says.
With those research and development resources available, the CED hopes to position Quebec as a “key player in the RPA ecosystem”. This includes the development of sustainable technologies and urban air transport infrastructure.
The CED has invested $6.4 million in the project.
Quebec has long been a global hub for the aerospace industry, both for original equipment manufacturers and suppliers. Canadian airframer Bombardier is headquartered in Montreal, while Airbus and Bell both assemble aircraft in the province.
The city of Mirabel is home to Bell’s civil helicopter production hub and the main Airbus assembly and support facility for A220 narrowbody passenger jet.
The provincial government of Quebec in 2022 launched a multi-year aerospace development strategy called Horizon 2026.
Among the strategic priorities listed in the document are designing next-generation aircraft in Quebec, attracting new companies to the region and developing an unmanned aircraft systems sector.
