CanadaBuys #26-58170

Purpose-built mobile command centre for NRC autonomous flight research

The National Research Council of Canada is procuring a turnkey mobile command centre for autonomous flight research and field aircraft operations. - Government buyer: National Research Council of Canada (NRC), through the Drone and Flight Autonomy Laboratory (DFAL) and Centre for Autonomous Flight Systems (CAFS). - Procurement: One purpose-built, fully assembled Class 3 gasoline chassis-cab Mobile Command Centre (MCC), designed for field flight trials and remotely piloted aircraft operations. - Required OEM components: Riedel Bolero wireless intercom; Masterclock GMR1000 time reference; Haivision Kraken video encoder (model specified by NRC at design review); BirdDog A300 Gen 2 PTZ camera; and Emlid Reach RS4 RTK GNSS receiver. These are the named manufacturers; no MCC vehicle-builder or chassis OEM is specified. - Key vehicle and system requirements: - Five indoor workstations plus an outdoor workstation, video displays and switching, onboard computing, network connectivity, synchronized timing and recording, and satellite broadband. - Telescoping masts, roof antennas, amplified flight-control antennas, radar mounting and integration, ADS-B, aviation radios, and a weather station. - Three-source electrical system, generator and batteries, heating and cooling, equipment rack, lighting, aircraft-battery storage, and safety systems. - Ability to travel to unpaved field sites, tow and connect with NRC’s existing ground-control trailer, and integrate NRC-furnished ground stations, radios, antennas, and radar. NRC-furnished equipment remains NRC property. - Included work and support: Design, fabrication, integration, testing, Ottawa delivery and acceptance, documentation, and at least one full day of training for up to eight NRC staff. Includes a minimum 24-month warranty for the body conversion and installed systems, a 24/7 support line, and annual on-site inspections and support for at least two years after acceptance. Additional annual support and extended warranty periods are optional. - Timing: Delivery, documentation, and training are required in early 2027. The contract continues through the warranty period.

Description

The National Research Council of Canada requires one purpose-built Mobile Command Centre (MCC) for the Centre for Autonomous Flight Systems and Drone and Flight Autonomy Laboratory. The self-contained vehicle will provide ground control, telemetry, safety monitoring, and data recording for flight trials and support research and remotely piloted aircraft operations at field sites across Canada. It must accommodate multiple aircraft ground stations, elevated antennas and radar, synchronized data recording, independent power, satellite connectivity, and heating and cooling, and be capable of reaching unpaved sites and towing the existing trailer. The notice states that the contract duration is estimated at three months, with a proposed start date of December 14, 2026; offers close December 8, 2026, at 2:00 p.m. EST.

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