Ottawa drone manufacturers showcase defence tech at GCXpo; Robotics Centre producing 10,000 units monthly

About 100 exhibitors displayed drone, autonomous systems, robotics, artificial intelligence, advanced sensors, communications systems, cybersecurity and smart agriculture technology Tuesday at GCXpo, an annual showcase of unmanned technology held at Area X.O on Woodroffe Avenue. More than 1,600 government officials, investors and industry leaders from across Canada attended.

Area X.O, which opened in 2019 on the site of the former Ottawa Biotechnology Incubation Centre, operates as a proving ground for drones, self-driving vehicles and autonomous technology under Invest Ottawa's management. The 1,866-acre facility is home to dozens of drone-makers and autonomous tech firms.

Robotics Centre, exhibiting at the showcase, manufactures unmanned aerial vehicles weighing about two kilograms with a maximum speed of 120 km/h. The company, founded and led by Charles Barlow, a former military officer, produces approximately 10,000 drones per month from its March Road factory and sells to military customers across Canada, the United States, Europe and Asia.

"The ability to go out and fly around in a bit of an urban environment, that's really awesome. That doesn't exist in, say, Toronto. I think Invest Ottawa's done a really great job of turning this whole place into a centre for defence-tech in this part of the country," Barlow said. Similar drones to those manufactured by Robotics Centre have become standard equipment in Canada's military arsenal and are being used extensively in Ukraine's conflict with Russia. Barlow noted the scale of current demand: "Ten thousand is like two days' use in Ukraine right now. You're seeing that rapid requirement to get this stuff into the field."

H2 Analytics, an Ottawa-based firm developing training and simulation software for drones, also exhibited at the event and tests its products at Area X.O.