The Canadian military is set to transform a section of downtown Ottawa into a testing ground for drone detection during the final week of November. Scheduled from November 24 to 28, the Department of National Defence (DND) will be piloting lightweight drones, some weighing less than two kilograms, in the Kent and Sparks streets vicinity. This initiative aims to enable a chosen group of 20 technology firms to evaluate their ability to spot these drones.
Under the supervision of various military units, the trials will assess the effectiveness of the companies’ drone-detection prototypes within a controlled urban setting. The primary objective is to create and enhance tools that can safeguard crowds at open-air gatherings, as highlighted by the department.
Applicants were requested to devise technology capable of countering multiple threats such as drone swarms, high-speed drones capable of navigating around structures at speeds of up to 200 km/h, and tethered unmanned aircraft. The prototypes should have the capacity to secure a four-block radius or protect a visiting dignitary during an outdoor function.
The department has allocated $1.75 million in rewards for innovative technology solutions. It assures that the trials will be carried out with utmost safety, emphasizing that no harmful technologies will be tested during this phase. Additionally, a nighttime trial is on the agenda, as per DND’s statement.