Indro Robotics takes part in Canadian Armed Forces event
By Scott Simmie
Indro Robotics was one a select number of drone and robotic manufactures invited by the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) and Area X.O to demonstrate and display at an event west of Ottawa.
The gathering, which took place August 11 and 12, was an opportunity for companies to demonstrate or exhibit defence-related technologies to Federal officials connected with CAF and the Department of National Defence. It took place at a test range that was obviously closed to the general public. The event was called “RED COBALT Uncrewed Systems Accelerator 2026,” and provided the Canadian military the opportunity to see – and even operate – multiple types of drones, ground robotics, and more.
The CBC reports 20 companies,18 of which are Canadian-owned, took part in the event – which is clearly linked to the country’s new Defence Industrial Strategy, which was released in February of this year. The DIS is a Canada’s response to a rapidly changing geopolitical landscape and commits more than half a trillion dollars between now and 2035. Those funds have already started to flow: In July, Ottawa announced it would be building a $30M military drone R&D facility in Mirabel, Quebec.
A significant portion of the DIS budget has been set aside to help accelerate Canadian-built and owned innovations – and reduce the reliance on traditional US military primes. The Ukraine conflict and even the recent US war with Iran have forever changed warfare with the heavy use of drones and other robotics on the battlefield. In addition to Ukraine and Russia’s rapid development of drone technologies (including fly-by-wire over fibre optic cable stretching many kilometres to prevent jamming or detection), ground robotics have been deployed to supply front line troops and even bring back injured soldiers.
“If you look at what’s happening in Ukraine, their uncrewed systems — the [updates to] coding that goes into it happen on a daily basis,” Lt.-Gen. Darcy Molstad, who heads the military’s Joint Forces Command, told CBC News.
“…This is the kind of partnerships that we have to establish.”
Below: Prime Minister Mark Carney on the day he announced the new Defence Industrial Strategy
INDRO AND DUAL-PURPOSE
Many of the products InDro manufactures have dual-purpose capabilities, meaning they can be used for commercial/industrial applications, as well as for defensive purposes. Our drones and robots, for example, are involved in a partnership with Montreal software firm CHAAC Technologies to autonomously find, map – and potentially neutralise – the pernicious PFM-1 landmine. It’s a small, air-dropped butterfly-shaped device that is intended to maim. Children often make the tragic mistake of thinking they are toys.
Technology can prove tremendously helpful for those kinds of use-cases – as well as many other defence and sovereignty-related purposes. InDro Vice President Peter King and Law Enforcement Consultant Brian Fentiman represented InDro at the event, showing off two new and significant innovations we are developing.
The first is Talos, the world’s longest-range vehicle. The rugged hybrid uses a combination of batteries and a highly efficient diesel generator to operate up to 7,000 km on a single, 454-litre tank of fuel. Originally developed to be driven by a human operator, InDro is in the process of turning this vehicle into a remotely tele-operated (and autonomous) robot. The Talos uses standard NATO-compliant mounting systems, and can be rapidly transformed for any use-case, from surveillance and combat in hostile environments through to transporting wounded combatants or getting medical supplies into a disaster zone.
We were also providing a glimpse of technology related to our new, long-range Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) drone. It can carry multiple sensors plus an additional payload and fly in weather conditions that would ground conventional aircraft. It’s also a hybrid design, meaning it’s capable of extraordinarily long missions.
Below: A look at the front end of Talos (R), the vehicle InDro is transforming into the world’s longest-range ground robot.
INDRO’S TAKE
We were pleased to be in the company of so many Canadian companies who are pushing the envelope of technology and defence. The event was a clear indicator of the emphasis the Federal Government is putting on the DIS, and the speed at which it hopes to advance the capabilities of the Canadian Armed Forces with made-in-Canada solutions.
“It is indeed a changing world, and Canada is investing to keep pace with that change,” says InDro Founder and CEO Philip Reece. “InDro is proud to be working on dual-use technologies we feel will be of benefit to the country, and to those who serve it.”











