Technology needs to keep pace to detect and defeat drones that are faster, smaller, and less detectable every year. Innovators are developing counter drone technologies, but they need a safe space to test their technologies against a wide variety of drones, swarm attacks, and variable conditions. Enter the Innovation for Defence Excellence and Security (IDEaS) program’s Counter Uncrewed Aerial Systems (CUAS) Sandbox.
“This Sandbox is more relevant than ever as we see drones being used in military conflict to lethal effect,” explains LCol Chris Labbé, a director of drone operations for the Royal Canadian Air Force. “As we saw in Canada’s new defence policy, Our North, Strong and Free, we’re committed to acquiring a counter drone capability that can neutralize drones that threaten our deployed forces, as well as those of our allies and partners. Investing in innovation now will help ensure innovators can deliver technology suited to the needs of the Canadian Armed Forces in the future.”
This Sandbox gives innovators access to a unique testing facility at Defence Research and Development Canada (DRDC)’s Suffield Research Centre. With wide open spaces in southeastern Alberta, innovators can safely test technologies that physically stop drones such as bullets, attack drones and lasers, as well invisible solutions such as signal jamming and ultrasonic waves that interrupt the drones’ controls or onboard systems. The IDEaS program also supplies target drones so innovators can test their ability to detect and track drones from a distance, including testing layered sensing technology that combines electro-optical, radio frequency, radar, and camera tracking surveillance.
“Innovators tested a variety of advanced prototype technologies that have the potential to be used in different defence and security scenarios, such as protecting people and infrastructure, defending remote facilities, and countering drone surveillance from adversaries,” explains Matt Ceh, a defence scientist with DRDC Suffield Research Centre.
At the most recent Sandbox from May 27 to June 21, 2024, 15 innovators from five countries, including Canadian companies, tested their counter drone technologies over the month-long event. During the demonstration, the innovators received feedback from experts in the Canadian Armed Forces, the US Department of Defense Irregular Warfare Technical Support Directorate, Royal Canadian Mounted Police, and scientists.
New this year, the IDEaS program offered monetary prizes for game-changing innovations, including $1 million for first place, $500,000 for second place, and $250,000 for third place. These prizes serve as motivation to innovators to continue to invest in technology development and bring their “A” game to the Sandbox. Winners will be announced in the coming weeks.
This year, the IDEaS program also launched a new challenge for counter drone concepts that are at a lower technology readiness level. With funding support up to $500,000 over nine months, innovators can advance their concepts, and successful innovators are eligible for additional funding up to $2 million to continue their development. Funding from the first call for applications has been awarded, and funding awards from the second call for applications will be announced soon.
“With this two-pronged strategy of investing in new promising concepts, and testing advanced prototypes at the Sandbox, the IDEaS program is supporting innovation at both ends of the spectrum to ensure that technology will meet the future capability needs of the Canadian Armed Forces,” says Philippe Hébert, DRDC’s Director General of Innovation, who is responsible for the IDEaS program.
The 2024 event followed on successful Sandboxes in 2019 and 2022 and the IDEaS program plans to continue to offer the Sandbox on a biennial basis. Innovators can subscribe to the IDEaS email distribution list to ensure the notice to apply for the next IDEaS opportunities arrive directly in their e-mailboxes.