CanadaBuys #26-58028

Procurement of Small Fixed-wing VTOL Drone Bundles for NRC Research and Development

The National Research Council Canada (NRC) is seeking offers for the supply of at least three small, fixed-wing, Vertical Take-Off and Landing (VTOL) Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) bundles to support advanced research and development in aerospace and robotics: - Government Buyer: - National Research Council Canada (NRC), Center for Drone Innovation (CDI), Drone and Flight Autonomy Laboratory (DFAL) - Contracting office located at BLDG. M-58, 1200 Montreal Road, Ottawa, ON - Products/Services Requested: - Minimum of three identical small fixed-wing VTOL UAS bundles - Quad-plane configuration: four vertical lift motors and one horizontal thrust motor - All-electric propulsion, max 5m wingspan, max 50kg takeoff weight, min 2.5kg payload - At least 1 hour continuous flight at 15 m/s, including 10 minutes hover - Compatibility with open-source autopilot software (PX4, ArduPilot) and ground control protocols (MAVLink, QGroundControl, MissionPlanner) - Bundles include remote controls, batteries, chargers, rugged transport cases, user manuals, wiring diagrams, configuration files, and software - Manufacturer warranty (minimum 1 year) and technical support - Services: - Live remote or in-person training for laboratory/research staff (assembly, operation, payload integration, safety, calibration, battery management) - Hardware maintenance support (documentation, replacement parts, troubleshooting, technical support) - Optional items: additional batteries, spare parts, extended warranty - Unique/Notable Requirements: - Drones must be suitable for research, including autonomy, flight control, and custom payload integration - Delivery to NRC's Centre d'innovation en dronautique (CID) in Mirabel, Quebec - Compliance with Canadian trade agreements (CKFTA, CFTA) - Ecological packaging required - Open to Canadian and partner country suppliers only - No specific OEMs or part numbers specified; compatibility with open-source platforms is mandatory - No security requirements - Period of performance: 12 months from contract award, with all deliverables due within this period; options for additional goods/services before contract expiry

Description

The National Research Council of Canada's Center for Drone Innovation is seeking to acquire a minimum of three fixed-wing, Vertical Take-Off and Landing (VTOL) capable Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS). These systems will serve as versatile research and development platforms to develop, test, and validate advanced aerial applications including autonomy, flight control algorithms, and custom payload integrations. The contract duration is 12 months starting approximately September 30, 2026. The procurement method is competitive open bidding.

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