Integrated Aerial Mobility program

Collaboration is an important part to achieving integrated aerial mobility, and the program is designed to bring together partners of all types. Leading Canadian universities and companies of all sizes are engaged in the program.

Working with the NRC enables companies and academics to benefit from our unique facilities and the expertise of 300+ aerospace researchers with diverse specializations, including integrated design, remote sensing, airspace management, synthetic world generation and interpretation, path planning, human factors, robotics for contact-based tasks, drone impact assessment, weather tolerance and advanced manufacturing. The program leverages the skills of researchers from a number of NRC Research Centres, which include expertise in aerospace, machine learning, sensors, cyber security, energy storage and digital technologies.

The Aerospace Research Centre has a track record of working with global aerospace companies, and welcomes the participation of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the Integrated Aerial Mobility program. Participating SMEs could be eligible for funding through the NRC Industrial Research Assistance Program, an innovation assistance program that helps SMEs build their innovative capacity.

The NRC provides key technical and research services and expertise to partners on a one‑on‑one basis. We can assist and guide clients and partners in proven approaches for technology development, validation and qualification. Our multidisciplinary array of technical capabilities includes:

• Advanced remoting sensing
• Aerial robotics
• Autonomous flight systems test and evaluation
• Composite and metallic manufacturing
• Flight vehicle aerodynamics
• Noise and vibration
• Structural testing and health monitoring
• Propulsion
• All-weather operation

Partners and clients have access to the NRC's wide range of facilities, instrumentation, and equipment. We also provide computational, analysis and simulation support, including structural analysis, computational fluid dynamics and integrated physics-based uninhabited aircraft modelling and simulation. Our experimental facilities include:

• 2 m x 3 m wind tunnel
• 3 m x 6 m icing wind tunnel with fully instrumented icing test bench for UAS rotors
• 9 m wind tunnel
• Fly-by-wire UAS surrogates and unmanned aircrafts
• "Super Cannon" for drone impact testing
• Propulsion research facilities
• Indoor aerial robotics laboratory with replicas of elevated structures
• Reverberant acoustic chamber with phased microphone array
• Advanced manufacturing centre

Base attachment module for small aerial vehicles

This technology enables small aerial vehicles (SAV) to attach themselves to elevated structures in a robust manners and with high forces. The capability to attach for extended periods of time is then achieved by turning off the motors, saving power and it allows extended mission time or potentially the deployment of contact based tasks.

Read more about base attachment module for small aerial vehicles

Improved vacuum gripping on rough surfaces

This technology enables remotely piloted aircraft systems (RPAS) to dock solidly on rough and/or porous walls such as concrete walls. It also allows them to attach to a variety of other structures solidly, to turn off the motors, and stay on station for an extended length of time, increasing the stability of the platform and allowing for increased task duration.

Read more Improved vacuum gripping on rough surfaces