Call for collaborative research project ideas on remotely piloted aircraft

The National Research Council (NRC) is collaborating with Transport Canada (TC) to develop a 5-year R&D plan to support regulatory development for visual line-of-sight (VLOS)/beyond visual-line-of-sight (BVLOS) remotely piloted aircraft systems (RPAS) operations and to identify technology advancements, testing and certification that will enable safe operation of RPAS (also known as drone, UAS or UAV) in Canada. The objectives are to develop and oversee the Government of Canada’s transportation policies and programs so that Canadians can have access to a transportation system that is safe and secure; green and innovative; and efficient.

The Consortium for Aerospace Research and Innovation in Canada (CARIC) and the Consortium for Research and Innovation in Quebec (CRIAQ) will support Transport Canada and NRC to deploy a RPAS R&D Program, by making use of their networks with the objective to:

• Stimulate, Create and Support opportunities for industry, academia and government to perform collaborative research activities to support Canadian regulatory framework development
• Support other key initiatives when required

In this context, CARIC, CRIAQ, NRC, and Transport Canada are launching a call for projects ideas in the following themes:

• BVLOS-1: Detect and Avoid (DAA) system qualification: Provide data on risk mitigation of specific detect-and-avoid (DAA) systems to inform the regulator and support the issuance of BVLOS Special Flight Operations Certificates (SFOC).
• BVLOS-2: C2 link robustness: Inform the regulatory requirement for Command and Control (C2) link characteristics for BVLOS operations at low altitude (<500feet), by small-medium RPAS.
• BVLOS-3: Human injury probability: Inform the regulatory requirement on probability of impact of the RPAS on people, in case of mishap for BVLOS operations at low altitude, by small-medium RPAS.
• BVLOS-4: Human injury severity: Inform on injuries that can be caused by RPAS impact on people (Not limited to 50th percentile male, includes cuts, concussions, lesions, fractures, etc.) and efficiency of mitigation factors.
• BVLOS-5: Drone Detection: Development of an effective solution for RPAS detection on critical section of airspace on or in vicinity of airports or aerodromes

Goals of this program include development of technological breakthroughs and new enabling technologies, with significant economic benefit for Canada (jobs, revenues, etc.).

Interested industrial partners are invited to submit a project idea with research partners for the development of collaborative projects for this RPAS specific call.