The InDro Evolution, Part II: Ground robotics and software

The InDro Evolution, Part II: Ground robotics and software

Aug 10, 2026 | InDro Solutions, Industry News, Innovation, Philip Reece, Scott Simmie

By Scott Simmie

 

You can divide the evolution of Indro Robotics into two phases. The first focused heavily on drones, drone technology, innovative use-cases, and multiple Canadian and industry “firsts.” We wrote about that first stage, which spans 2014 to 2019, here.

We’ll now look at what’s happened since then. Specifically, the addition of ground robotics in addition to our UAV work. And once again, it’s a story filled with milestones.

Our broader robotics era really begins in 2019, when we sent a single person to work at Invest Ottawa’s Area X.O. Some of the big players, companies like Nokia and Blackberry QNX, already had offices there. But InDro came in lean, sharing office space with Nokia while working closely with the company on Area X.O’s Mobile Command Centre. That large vehicle uses a telescoping antenna to create a private cellular network, allowing secure Command and Control of drone (or ground robotics) missions in areas without networks.

Reece could see the potential of Area X.O as a full R&D headquarters: A private facility with roads dedicated to autonomous vehicles meant engineers could literally walk out the door and test new robots or drones. And so, on March 1st of 2021, InDro formally opened in its own space at Area X.O.

A key early hire was Peter King, who had broad industry expertise in successful drone and ground robotics companies. King (now VP at InDro and Founder and CEO of Cypher Robotics) assisted Reece in building the team at Area X.O.

“When the opportunity came to take lab space at Area X.O and become part of the drone and robot testing grounds, we jumped at the chance,” Philip Reece told BetaKit at the time. “We have already supplemented our team with several very talented engineers, and I am sure we will be adding more in the near future.”

That, it turns out, would be an understatement.

Below: An InDro employee at Area X.O’s ops centre soon after our move. Teleoperated drone and robotics missions can be controlled and monitored from this room. Image two: By 2023, InDro had a rapidly growing team at Area X.O

InDro Robotics

 THE ADDITION OF GROUND ROBOTICS

 

Before we get to ground robotics and autonomy, we should mention that our work on drones never slowed down. We continued to develop new models for extended range and specialised payloads, while advancing partnerships and remote operations using public and private 5G networks. We flew complex missions for clients in Saudi Arabia, built systems for a huge company in South America, and carried out multiple research initiatives in conjunction with universities like UBC and companies like Rogers and Ericsson. We hired aviation regulatory expert and crewed flight instructor Kate Klassen (who has trained more than 10,000 drone pilots online), as well as Dr. Eric Saczuk, a remote imaging expert who also leads the British Columbia Institute of Technology’s RPAS Hub and has flown some of the most complex drone missions imaginable.

But we were also pursuing a parallel pathway: Ground robotics. We knew we could leverage our drone expertise in remote teleoperation, sensor integration and custom builds. So it was really more of a transition of those skills onto ground robotic platforms, along with the steady hiring of exceptionally good engineers from multiple disciplines. For those ground platforms, we secured a distribution deal with AgileX, China’s leading multi-platform robotics company and Unitree. We were soon building custom robots for industrial, academic and R&D clients – and developing our own new proprietary products we could sell (many of which you can find on our InDro Store).

On the latter front, we initially identified remote asset inspection/surveillance and last-mile delivery as emerging markets. We designed and built our first Sentinel inspection robot (now in its third iteration), and our first ground delivery robot, ROLL-E. It was deployed in partnership with a London Drugs location in Victoria for curbside pickup during the COVID pandemic.

With a motto of Invent, Enhance, Deploy, we took on increasingly complex builds, including a multi-robot contract with one of the planet’s largest technology companies. We also designed what would become one of our signature products, InDro Commander.

It’s a platform-agnostic EDGE device that holds the ROS2 libraries and allows for the seamless integration of new sensors by simply plugging them into that powerful box. It also contains the secure, front-end software (InDro Controller) that allows missions to be intuitively planned, executed and monitored. Commander quickly became popular with universities and R&D companies who wanted to rapidly integrate their own robots and quickly proceed to research. We also developed our popular InDro Autonomy software stack.

Below: The InDro Commander module with the InDro Autonomy Stack onboard AgileX platforms. Video: Head of R&D Sales Luke Corbeth highlighting an InDro-modified Unitree humanoid robot at Area X.O’s annual GCXpo event. You’ll notice that humanoid has a “backpack.” That device is InDro Commander (with InDro Controller onboard) in a different form factor. We’ve also modified the humanoid to enable not only remote teleoperation, but VR teleoperation using handsets and a 4K resolution headset

Robot development kit

Industry 4.0 and dual-purpose innovations

 

While continuing custom builds for researchers and industrial clients, InDro has pushed the envelope substantially over the past few years. Specifically, we’ve been developing products for the world of Industry 4.0, where automated and interconnected devices result in vast efficiencies in settings ranging from warehouses to factories to long-range ground and aerial data acquisition and delivery.

Some of the many highlights include:

  • InDro Cortex, a vastly smaller version of InDro Commander, along with more powerful and intuitive iterations of InDro Controller. We’ve also integrated these into a VR humanoid.
  • Developing and deploying InDro Prowler, an exceedingly powerful wheeled quadruped for surveillance and security inspection that sets a new standard for value
  • Serving as technology incubator for Cypher Robotics, helping to develop a tethered drone/AMR system for cycle counting in large warehouses

Another absolutely key accelerator for InDro over the past few years was the launch and subsequent expansion of InDro Forge, our custom fabrication and integration facility.

It houses a full suite of tools for professional fabrication including CNC, water jet table, PCB design – and a plethora of specialized 3D printers that include bigrep ONE, capable of printing objects up to one cubic metre in size (along with all the requisite expertise). We build products for clients there, and integrate our own robots at the site, complete with custom metal and composite work. Forge has been scaling since we began, and has now evolved into a small and growing factory.

 

OUR NEXT BIG THING(S)

 

We can’t provide too many details yet, but we are currently hard at work on three highly ambitious projects. We are going to roboticize the world’s longest-range vehicle – a diesel-electric hybrid capable of 7,000km on a single tank of fuel. It has multiple use-cases, including disaster response in areas with damaged infrastructure, data acquisition and surveillance for sovereignty purposes, wildlife monitoring and protection – and much more. We are also hard at work on Obsidian, a smaller AWD hybrid for multiple use-cases in inhospitable terrain.

We are, at the same time, extensively modifying a very large, long-range drone for highly specialised missions. It can carry both sensors and other payload, and is capable of flying in extreme conditions that would ground most traditional aircraft. More on that down the road.

Below: The multi-purpose, 7,000km vehicle we’re transforming into a robot, followed by the largest drone we’ve yet to work with. InDro Founder/CEO Philip Reece is second from left in the drone photo

Fering
Terrain Drone

INDRO’S TAKE

 

So many milestones, so little time. We didn’t even mention our latest research robot, Axiom. But it’s a cost breakthrough for those doing Physical AI R&D involving humanoids, and its extendible torso allows researchers to position the robot’s arms for high reach, low reach, and everything in between.

There’s a reason we mention Axiom here, one of our most budget-friendly robots. In fact, we’ll drop a picture of it in a second. That’s because, despite the major projects we’ve carried out and are currently working on, InDro still maintains its roots: Inventing, building and testing highly useful tools that help researchers develop algorithms and use-cases that elevate the entire industry.

“It has been quite a journey so far, and an immensely satisfying one,” says InDro’s Founder and CEO Philip Reece. “From a single employee at Area X.O back in 2019, we have scaled significantly, taking on ever-more complex projects for major clients and government departments, while still providing new and affordable innovations for those in the academic and R&D worlds.

“A broader vision for InDro has helped guide the way. But none of this would have been possible without a highly dedicated and skilled team – people who have yet to encounter a problem they aren’t willing and eager to solve. We have done our best to carve a clear, ethical and forward-looking path. So from here, it’s onward: We will continue to invent, enhance, deploy – and scale.”

Below: Axiom. Highly functional, with a very low cost. We’ve included Robotics Hardware Engineering Intern Justin Luo both for scale, and because he put in a lot of hard work on this project

Bipedal robots step into the scene

Bipedal robots step into the scene

Jul 17, 2025 | bipedal, bipedal vs humanoid, Humanoids, Industry 4.0, Industry News, robots that walk, Scott Simmie

By Scott Simmie

 

There’s been a lot of buzz over bipedal robots in recent years.

Companies like Boston Dynamics, Agility Robotics, Unitree and others have developed powerful algorithms and leading edge hardware to make what was once science fiction a reality. There are now an increasing number of walking (and sometimes talking) upright robots that get around on two legs. These tend to be humanoids, but they are bipedal.

There’s a certain cool factor to seeing robots that walk like people. But the push for bipedal robots is also driven by infrastructure: Factories and other settings where such devices might be deployed have been built for people. So robots that can walk and are roughly human size can work in such spaces without infrastructure changes.

“With the automobile, we had to build roads,” said Jonathan Hurst, Chief Technology Officer of Agility Robotics, in an explanatory video. “With legged robots we’ve already built the infrastructure. Legged robots are going to change the world as much as the automobile did.”

As the saying goes, time will tell. But before we proceed, it’s worth mentioning that bipedal doesn’t necessarily mean humanoid.

“A humanoid typically mimics the human form – so it has a head, torso, arms and legs,” explains Luke Corbeth, InDro’s Head of R&D Sales.

“Bipedal simply means it walks on two legs, but it doesn’t need to look human. So while most humanoids are bipedal, not all bipedal robots are humanoids.”

Below: Agility’s Cassie – a bipedal, non-humanoid robot. Immense R&D went into developing this machine, with many of the lessons learned applied to its current Digit humanoid

THE BIPEDAL-HUMANOID CONNECTION

 

As the video illustrated, bipedal robots aren’t necessarily humanoid (though they can be). But since the non-humanoid versions don’t have arms or manipulators, what are the use-cases?

First off, they’re critical tools in the R&D space. Before any company attempts a full-blown humanoid, it needs to perfect locomotion, balance and gait. That, of course, requires intensive hardware and software development. Many in the research space don’t have the time or resources to build from scratch. By starting with an existing bipedal robot they can rapidly start working on improving algorithms, adding autonomy stacks, machine vision, etc.

“Achieving stable and efficient bipedal locomotion is really the first critical milestone – so it involves doing things like balancing the gait, being very energy efficient and knowing how to recover from various disturbances,” says Corbeth. “But once that’s dialed in, you can build advanced capabilities on top of it, things like manipulation or autonomous navigation. So starting with a bipedal platform can help clients achieve their ultimate goals much sooner”

Not surprisingly, clients for bipedal, non-humanoid platforms are often in the R&D space.

“For anyone specifically researching bipedal locomotion, these devices make sense,” he adds. “It allows them to really focus on research and control, computer vision and AI applications. It’s an accessible platform for labs to really accelerate their work on humanoids.”

In other words, perfecting a bipedal platform is critical in the development of full humanoid robots.

 

RISE OF THE HUMANOIDS

 

We recently took a dive into humanoids here.

To recap briefly, humanoids are on the rise because their form factor allows them to integrate with existing infrastructure. With arms and manipulators/end effectors, they can carry out many of the tasks that humans perform. Bipedal design means they can climb stairs or navigate other obstacles. Even humanoids with wheels or tracks can now carry out these manoeuvres.

“Humanoid robots have become one of the most frontier topics in the field of robot research [1],” states this research paper. “Owing to the human-like structures and strong environmental adaptability [2], biped robots can directly operate the tools and vehicles used by humans, showing wide application prospects in fields such as home service, industrial manufacturing and environmental detection [3]…Ongoing research…shows great potential in human–robot collaboration and autonomous operation [6].”

Many of the tasks bipedal robots will eventually carry out aren’t even fully known yet, as these new commercial products are very much – despite some really impressive machines – in the early stages of adoption and deployment. It’s a safe bet that every company currently selling bipedal or humanoid robots is hard at work in the lab on the next generation. There’s a lot of development in the pipeline.

“Better battery life is kind of on everyone’s wishlist – the runtime of a humanoid or bipedal robot simply isn’t as long as some of the traditional wheeled or track systems. There are also other things like faster and safer locomotion and, of course, dexterous hands,” says Corbeth.

We hit up AI for some thoughts on where these machines are going. It concurs that the full benefits of bipedal robots have yet to be realised.

“While bipedal robots offer unique advantages, it’s worth noting that they are still under development, and their efficiency and practicality in certain applications are still being evaluated. For example, wheeled robots might be more energy-efficient for certain tasks on flat surfaces. However, for navigating complex, unstructured environments and interacting with human-scale tools and spaces, bipedal robots offer a promising solution.”

In addition to humanoids, InDro now offers a strictly bipedal, non-humanoid platform primarily for R&D. As with most platforms, our engineers are currently working on expanding its capabilities to enable it more fully for R&D and industrial clients. We will soon be integrating InDro Cortex, a brain-box that enables everything from remote teleoperation and sensor integration to fully autonomous and/or easily programmable missions.

“We’re looking to add our Cortex solution – the hardware and the software and the autonomy – to our humanoids and bipedal robots,” says Corbeth. “We see opportunities to integrate advanced autonomy, teleoperation and perception pipelines into this equipment…making them a turnkey solution for advanced humanoid development and real-world testing.”

Below: A great video explanation of the bipedal advantage, followed by the bipedal robot InDro now has available

Multi Modal Biped Robot

INDRO’S TAKE

 

Bipedal robots are the precursor to full-blown humanoids. Not only does the humanoid form factor work well in existing infrastructure, they’re seen by many as the ideal collaborative robots, or co-bots. People seem more at ease with something that looks vaguely human (with the notable exception of Terminator’s T800).

“The human form factor is just intuitive for people to interact with – and the similar size helps them use human tools and really fit in well in workspaces,” says Corbeth. “Some may argue as well they also kind of build trust, which is crucial for collaborative robots operating around or with people.”

And for those in the R&D space looking for a bipedal-only platform, we’ve got you covered.

We look forward to sharing more about our bipedal and humanoid robots in future, particularly once we’ve supercharged them with InDro Cortex. If you’re curious to learn more, feel free to contact Luke Corbeth.

InDro Robotics hits multiple milestones in 2023

InDro Robotics hits multiple milestones in 2023

Jan 1, 2024 | InDro News, InDro Solutions, Scott Simmie, Year in Review

By Scott Simmie

 

Happy New Year!

We hope you’ve enjoyed the holiday season and that 2024 will be a good year for you.

While looking ahead, we at InDro Robotics always take this opportunity to also look back; to reflect on the year that was. In particular, we like to focus on what we accomplished. And 2023, for multiple reasons, was a very big year for us.

We designed and built sophisticated devices for some of the biggest technology companies in the world. (We really wish we could share that news, but under NDA we cannot. We can tell you that our last shipment, which took place in December, required two large transport trucks.)

And while that was certainly a highlight, there were many, many others. Let’s kick off our Year in Review with a device we’re very proud of, the InDro Backpack.

InDro Backpack

INDRO BACKPACK

 

Designed for Unitree quadrupeds (InDro is a North American distributor), the Backpack mounts onto the Unitree GO1 EDU, GO2, B1 and B2 robots. And it vastly expands their capabilities. 

First off, the Backpack enables data-dense teleoperations over 5G with virtually zero lag. Using InDro’s dashboard and intuitive control system, you can remotely operate the Unitree robots from anywhere there’s a cellular connection at both ends.

But that’s not all. The Backpack contains the Robot Operating System (ROS) software libraries, along with multiple USB slots. This makes customising these robots with additional sensors a breeze, saving a lot of engineering time. The backpack also contains a pinhole camera, offering the operator a First Person View of operations. The customisable dashboard allows the user to see data flowing in from all sensors and overall system health.

This device, inspired by InDro Commander (which does the same thing for wheeled and tracked platforms), is 100 per cent an InDro innovation from the ground up. Take a look:

InDro BackPack

YOW DRONE DETECTION

 

You may be familiar with the Ottawa International Airport’s Drone Detection Pilot Project. InDro Robotics is the core technology provider of the system, which monitors drone traffic not only immediately surrounding YOW, but from as far as 40 kilometres away.

In 2023, in addition to its regular monitoring, the system was involved with two high-profile events. First, the system detected someone flying a drone right at the airport, and in the vicinity of both a helicopter and an active runway. (This happened in December of 2022, but we could not publicly report on it until Transport Canada completed its investigation.)

The system located not only the drone (including its make and model), but the pilot as well. Police were dispatched, and Transport Canada ultimately imposed fines totalling $3021 for multiple violations of the CARs regulations. You can read our coverage here, as well as this take from Don Drones On.

The second significant event involved the visit to Canada by US President Joe Biden. Advance teams from the Secret Service and Air Force One visited YOW prior to the trip – and one of the first questions they had was whether YOW had a drone detection system in place. The system was carefully monitored during the arrival and departure of Air Force One. Thankfully, there were no incursions. Our story was picked up by sUAS News – and the CBC also covered the story:

FAA AND INDRO

 

Early this year, InDro Robotics received what we believe to be a first for a Canadian company: A US Federal Aviation Administration waiver permitting BVLOS flights for solar farm inspections in the United States.

Like our ground robots, our aerial robots are equipped for 5G teleoperation, so distance is no barrier. InDro ships the drone to the location, instructs the recipient on how to power on and visually observe – and we carry out the flight. Since receiving this waiver, we have carried out highly successful solar farm inspections in the US.

Here’s a look at how the system works.

MARATHON DRONE FLIGHTS

 

This headline has two meanings. The first is that we were flying sub-250 gram drones continuously for several hours in a relay-like fashion. When the batteries on one drone started to drain, a second was put in the air. So it was kind of a marathon in terms of continuous drone operation.

But the bigger meaning relates to the annual Montreal Marathon. InDro Robotics was called in to take part in a research trial. It was known from previous marathons that there were specific locations where runners tended to encounter difficulties and even collapse. But with no surveillance from above, it took time both to identify a runner in distress and also pinpoint their precise location.

The drones we put in the air provided an uninterrupted live feed to a tent where they were continuously watched on large-screen monitors. Sure enough, the live video did help detect and locate runners who needed assistance. You can find our story here. It was also picked up by COPA – the Canadian Owners and Pilots Association. Their coverage is here.

Below: Our crew kept sub-250 gram drones in the air for hours at the Montreal Marathon.

BIG CLIENT, COOL ROBOT

 

A major international company (a household name, truly), asked us to build a robot for them. Specifically, a research robot they could deploy in crowds of people. Engineering lead Arron Griffiths explains:

“The client wants to use Vision SLAM (Simultaneous Localisation and Mapping) to essentially detect humans and pathways through chaotic environments,” he says.

“Think malls, shopping centres…where humans are mingling to navigate around. And there’s no really defined path, the robot must organically move around people. Yes, you’d have an overall predetermined path with a desired destination, but once the chaos of humans comes in the robot would safely meander its way through crowds.”

The client was so pleased with the result they agreed to allow us to show the finished product. You’ll note the height – which was necessary so that sensors could be placed at roughly eye-level of the humans it avoids. You can find more technical details about the project here.

This is a perfect example of one of InDro’s key functions: A client comes to us with an idea for a product that has not yet been created. In deep consultation – and with plenty of updates along the way – InDro designs, builds, tests and ultimately delivers the finished product.

Below: The robot navigates crowds along a boardwalk

Robotic Innovations

DARTT OPENS!

 

June saw the opening of the new Drone and Advanced Robot Training and Testing centre, or DARTT, at Area X.O in Ottawa. The state-of-the-art facility was funded by the Government of Canada through the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario) and in-kind industry contributions from InDro Robotics.

DARTT is the first facility of its kind in Canada, built from the ground up for the testing of ground robots (wheeled, tracked, quadrupeds and bipeds) and drones. The robot testing area consists of multiple sets of obstacles build to specific criteria set out by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). Robots can be tested on various uneven surfaces, through varying aggregates (sand, gravel, etc.) and through water. There’s even an incline ramp that can be adjusted to test the ability of robots to climb.

InDro operates the facility, helping to test the limits of robots – and their operators. DARTT also contains a large netted enclosure for testing new drone technologies that might otherwise require a Special Flight Operations Certificate from Transport Canada. (Plus, the top of that large enclosure can serve as a safety net when testing drone parachutes.)

InDro offers flight reviews and advanced and specialised drone and robot training at the site. We are also planning to launch a series of Micro-Credential courses in 2024, allowing for short-duration, intensive training in specific drone technology skills.

You’ll find a more thorough story about DARTT here, as well as a video below.

INDRO TAPPED FOR SPECIALIZED DRONE MISSIONS

 

It’s not uncommon for InDro to be approached to participate in research trials involving drones (the Montreal Marathon is but one example), but also in emergency situations. This year saw both.

When wildfires threatened many regions in British Columbia, the City of Kelowna contacted InDro. Might we be able to assist in mapping some of the damage? And could we use thermal sensors to detect hotspots that might be smouldering beneath a landfill?

We jumped into action quickly, selecting our partners at Spexi Geospatial to carry out the flights using their special software. That system allows the pilot to select an hexagonal area of interest (a “Spexigon”), and the drone will take off and carry out the mission autonomously. It will ensure that photos are taken at the correct intervals and a consistent altitude so the back-end stitching goes seamlessly. Plus, a pilot can fly multiple Spexigons in a single mission, allowing all of that data to produce imagery at scale. Resolution is very high, at 3 cm/pixel.

During one 2023 mission, “over 10,000 acres of imagery was captured in three days,” says Spexi COO Alec Wilson.

“We’ve made it super simple to get images in and out at scale… And we’re super-excited to be able to start building bigger and better platforms for the drone industry.”

InDro has invested in Spexi Geospatial, as we can see the value of automated image capture at scale. Already, Spexigon has carried out trials where it has captured two entire BC cities in a matter of days, with much bigger projects on the horizon.

You can read more about our work in Kelowna here, and more about Spexi here.

Below: Spexi COO Alec Wilson speaking in Ottawa at the Aerial Evolution Association of Canada’s annual conference.

Alec Wilson Spexi

URBAN WIND TUNNELS

 

InDro has previously teamed up with the National Research Council of Canada on research projects. For example, we’ve pushed several drones to their limits in the NRC’s wind tunnel in Ottawa to compare the ability of drones to withstand high winds when compared with the manufacturer’s specifications.

This year, the NRC asked if we could help with an even more challenging project: Measuring urban wind tunnels.

The NRC is interested in how drones react in urban settings, where windspeeds can be greatly influenced by architecture. Tall buildings in close proximity can turn a stiff breeze into something approaching a gale, along with producing wind shear, strong vortices and other invisible threats to drone flight.

But just because you can’t see these unusual air patterns doesn’t mean you can’t measure them. In conjunction with the NRC, we outfitted an InDro drone with two small, highly sensitive anemometers that measure windspeed. They were mounted on a wishbone-like device, allowing the sensors to be clear of prop-wash for more accurate measurement. One anemometer was mounted vertically, while the other was angled horizontally. This allows researchers to measure the precise angle of the wind, including localised updrafts and other anomalies.

Chief Pilot Eric Saczuk was the Pilot-in-Command on these challenging operations, which took place over multiple days in Montreal. The data will not only help researchers understand and predict the impact of urban wind tunnels, but may also result in useful guidelines for companies flying drones in urban environments.

 (We also carried out some research flights in Vancouver Harbour, flying through a specific corridor near congested airspace, all while measuring the quality of 5G signals throughout the flight.)

You can read about the NRC wind tunnel research in greater detail here. The image below shows the drone with both anemometers attached.

NRC Wind Tunnel Montreal Eric

INDRO “FORGES” AHEAD

 

One of the major highlights of the year involves InDro Robotics now offering a plethora of new fabrication and design services. In a strategic partnership with Invest Ottawa, what was known as the Bayview Yards Prototyping Lab is now called InDro Forge and under the management of InDro Robotics.

The facility is equipped with a wide array of additive and subtractive manufacturing capabilities, including:

  • CNC machining
  • Silicone and urethane casting
  • Multi-element 3D printing (including metal)
  • Electronics and Printed Circuit Board fabrication and analysis

There’s even a water jet table capable of cutting through several inches of steel.

The facility offers services ranging from one-off prototypes to design and full product development. If you can dream it; InDro Forge can build it.

“Some of our other clients come to us where they have an early prototype that they’ve cobbled together. It tells them that their idea is possible but it’s not a product yet,” says InDro Forge lead Joel Koscielski. “So we’ll help them turn that into a more refined version of itself. We might do one of those, we might do five – even 25.”

Projects can be big – or small.

“Sometimes it’s just that extra bit of capacity – they themselves have never had to make a sheet metal box that looks good,” adds Koscielski.

In addition to serving clients in need of prototypes, Minimum Viable Products and limited production runs, InDro also now has the ability to fabricate in virtually any material for our own projects – which will shorten timelines.

Below: A powerful water jet table at InDro Forge. It uses high-pressure water mixed with an exceedingly fine aggregate to cut through pretty much anything with precision

Advanced Manufacturing

STREET SMART ROBOT

 

Another of our 2023 milestones was the design and fabrication of what we call the Street Smart Robot. Its purpose is to ensure safe winter cycling.

Canadian cyclists are a hardy bunch, and many of them don’t let the winter season stop them from utilizing bike lanes. But with winter comes hazards – ice, potholes, debris – that can pose a threat to a safe cycling experience. The Street Smart Robot (SSR) has been built to drive through bike lanes autonomously – while scanning for the above hazards and more. Once it detects an anomaly, City of Ottawa (where it’s being tested) maintenance crews will be notified.

“The idea behind the robot is we want to prolong the use of bike lanes in Ottawa, but also ensure the safety of bike lanes in Ottawa,” explains Indro Robotics Account Executive Luke Corbeth.

“There’s really two parts to this: The first is a machine vision element to see if conditions are good enough for biking – no ice, not too many leaves, etc. On the safety side, the Street Smart Robot is more concerned with detecting things like potholes and cracks. And the idea is if you’re able to identify those things, the right resources can be deployed faster and more efficiently to solve the problem in a timely manner.”

 

PARTNERSHIP

 

The SSR came about thanks to a research and development fund called the Wintertech Development Program. Its purpose is to support “Ontario small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and their partners to validate, test, prototype, and demonstrate new products and technologies designed to meet the unique demands of winter weather conditions.” InDro matched the funds via the work it carried out.

Wintertech is run by OVIN, the Ontario Vehicle Innovation Network. That’s a province of Ontario initiative which “capitalizes on the economic potential of advanced automotive technologies and smart mobility solutions such as connected and autonomous vehicles (CAVs), and electric and low-carbon vehicle technologies, while enabling the province’s transportation and infrastructure networks to plan for and adapt to this evolution.”

There’s a *lot* of technology packed into the SSR, including sensors and compute power to ensure both obstacle avoidance and AI/Machine Vision recognition of potential threats. Technology onboard includes:

  • Front and rear-facing depth cameras that perceive in 3D
  • Two 2D LiDAR units for obstacle avoidance and safety
  • Two 3D LiDAR sensors for Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM)
  • GPS and Inertial Measurement Unit
  • Range finder to detect the height and position of hazards like tree branches on the path

There’s a lot more to this machine, and you can find all the details here. InDro will be testing the IP67 robot in early 2024, once there’s plenty of snow and ice in Ottawa.

Below: A brief video highlights the Street Smart Robot, unveiled at TCXpo in September.

TCXpo

 

September brought the second annual TCXpo event to Area X.O. It’s Canada’s premiere showcase of Smart Mobility, with leading technology companies from across the country demonstrating their products. This year saw more than 75 firms take part with active demos, static displays, and plenty of learning sessions.

The event was sponsored by Transport Canada (that’s the “TC” in “TCXpo”), along with Invest Ottawa and Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED).

InDro was kept busy with running demos of the new DARTT facility, putting ground robots through demanding obstacle courses and flying drones inside the netted enclosures. There were plenty of other cool demonstrations and displays, ranging from a self-driving tractor through to a remotely operated hang-glider intended for heavy cargo deliveries.

As Michael Tremblay, who was then President and CEO of Invest Ottawa, Area X.O and Bayview Yards, put it: “We’ve got incredible capability right across the country.”

It’s a great event, and one that truly highlights that the era of Smart Mobility is firmly en route. Kudos to the organizers for putting on such a great show.

Below: A few images from the 2023 TCXpo, including the InDro Robotics Ottawa team behind some of our many robots. That’s followed by a video highlighting the event.

 

Philip CAV Canada Drone Panel

Philip on drone panel

Indro Robotics CEO Philip Reece moderating a CAV Canada panel

Tractor

And on this farm there was a robot, Ee-eye, ee- I/O

Pilotless hang glider

Remotely operated hang glider

Nokia Pod

Nokia drone with charging station for remote operations

SSR Street Smart Robot

Street Smart Robot

The Ottawa InDro team, with the SSR highlighted

Wingtra liftoff

A Wingtra drone takes flight during TCXpo

Good dog

InDro’s Luke Corbeth with the Unitree B1 quadruped at DARTT

NDT Demo

A Skygauge Robotics drone demonstrates its non-destructive testing abilities

WAIT, THERE’S MORE

 

There’s actually a *lot* more, but we know you’ve got other things to do in 2024. So just a final few highlights:

 

  • InDro forged a new partnership (and product) in conjunction with Tallysman on a super-accurate GNSS solution for ground robots
  • We refined our popular InDro Commander, an InDro innovation that enables remote teleoperation and the rapid integration of sensors. A smaller Commander is en route soon!
  • We welcomed – and are modifying – new robots from Unitree and AgileX (InDro distributes products from both companies)
  • We have a new Robot Operating System (ROS) drone (more to come on that soon)
  • We’ve been working hard on a new automated inventory management system, designed to simplify warehouse supply chain management

 

INDRO ON THE ROAD

 

Finally, InDro attended a number of major conferences and exhibitions throughout the year. We displayed and demonstrated our products at many of them, and forged partnerships at others. Among the many events we took part in:

There were more, of course. But these were the highlights.

Below: Unitree’s new “Digit” biped robot, at IROS in Detroit

Unitree's new Digit biped

INDRO’S TAKE

 

Every year at InDro Robotics is busy, with many milestones reached. But 2023 was a little bit different. There were more projects, more milestones, new partnerships – and more clients. The company continued to scale, with the hiring of many more engineers and supply chain/admin staff.

The addition of InDro Forge is a highly significant addition to our portfolio, offering rapid prototyping and custom fabrication for clients, as well as new onsite capabilities for our own projects. And, because this post focussed exclusively on InDro Robotics, we didn’t even get into the amazing things happening at sister companies Aerometrix (which focuses on gas detection) and Bravo Zulu Secure, our drone detection/mitigation operation. Look forward to hearing more about those companies in 2024.

“2023 was an exceptional year at InDro. The company continued to scale, and our engineering team yet again outdid itself with new products, new milestones – and continued commitment to hard work and innovation,” says InDro Robotics CEO Philip Reece.

“Our management and sales teams also pushed the envelope, bringing in major ongoing projects that we look forward to revealing in 2024. And our marketing and content leads made great inroads in getting out the word about what InDro’s been doing, along with our continued growth trajectory. I’m grateful to all of our staff, our clients, and our many partners – with a special thanks to Area X.O, Invest Ottawa, and YOW. Here’s to 2024!”

On behalf of everyone at InDro Robotics, we wish you a Happy, healthy, and productive New Year.

As always, if you’d like to get in touch feel free to contact us here.

 

TCXpo brings Canada’s Smart Mobility leaders to Area X.O September 27

TCXpo brings Canada’s Smart Mobility leaders to Area X.O September 27

Sep 21, 2023 | Scott Simmie, Smart Mobility, TCXpo, Transport Canada, Uncategorized

By Scott Simmie

 

Canada’s premiere exhibit and demonstration of Smart Mobility technologies is coming up soon – September 27, to be precise. And InDro Robotics will be one of scores of Canadian companies demonstrating innovative products and processes.

This is the second TCXpo since its inauguration in 2022.

“TCXpo will bring together hundreds of innovators, entrepreneurs, technology developers, industry leaders, regulators, smart mobility partners and stakeholders from Canada’s Capital and across the country,” explains the Area X.O website.

“In partnership with Transport Canada (TC), Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED), FedDev Ontario and event sponsors, TCXpo will bring together more than 70 Canadian companies to host live technology demonstrations at Area X.O. TCXpo will create an exclusive opportunity for invited guests to experience the power and impact of cutting-edge Canadian technologies, including many preparing for global markets.”

InDro is pleased to be participating – and we’ve got a lot of cool things lined up for the show.

Here’s a look at a few highlights from last year’s event – including some of the really intriguing technologies on display:

InDro at TCXpo

 

Before we get into what InDro will be up to, it’s worth explaining the name of the event. “TC” stands for Transport Canada, which is a lead sponsor of the event. The regulator is interested, obviously, in the field of Smart Mobility – including drones, autonomous passenger-carrying vehicles and ground robotics. These technologies will all play increasing roles in the future, eventually becoming blended with existing infrastructure and traditional ground and air transportation.

The “X” stands for the location – Ottawa’s Area X.O.

Operated by Invest Ottawa, Area X.O is a research and development complex that is home to some of Canada’s leading R&D companies in the Smart Mobility space (including InDro Robotics). The facility is tailor-made for companies working on next-gen technology, complete with its own 5G network and private roads that can be used by Connected and Autonomous Vehicles. For companies building and testing next-gen technology, there’s nothing like being able to take robots and drones under development directly outside for test runs. It’s routine, when visiting Area X.O, to see all manner of robots and driverless vehicles being tested. It’s also where InDro has located its R&D headquarters, with a large engineering team.

 

WHAT INDRO WILL BE SHOWING

 

We’ve got quite a few things on tap for TCXpo.

We’ll be demonstrating a number of robots InDro has developed, including Sentinel. The teleoperated workhorse has been designed for remote monitoring and surveillance. It’s ideally suited to locations like electrical substations, which are normally located far from urban centres and would generally require a human being to travel to the site for regular check-ups. With robots like Sentinel, an operator can control the robot via a dashboard from hundreds or even thousands of kilometres away.

Thermal and close-up visual inspections can be carried out to look for any anomalies – without the time and expense of dispatching a person. Once the inspection is complete, Sentinel can automatically dock with a wireless charging system so that it’s ready for the next mission.

Though we’ve demonstrated Sentinel in the past, this year we’ll be showing new capabilities with its GPS Waypoint Autonomy software. This enables an operator to set up a repeatable routine using waypoints, allowing Sentinel to carry out missions with a human simply monitoring operations rather than remotely operating them.

Below: Sentinel, equipped with InDro Commander

 

Autonomous Robot

STREET SMART ROBOT

 

This is under wraps until TCXpo, but InDro Robotics will be unveiling a new Smart City robot, specifically designed to help monitor the conditions of bicycle lanes during winter. Whether it’s snow, ice, potholes or debris that might interfere with safe cycling, our Street Smart Robot will be able to detect problems so that city staff can be notified. We’ll be revealing details about this new creation – and you’ll be able to see it first-hand. A number of people have made comparisons with the design to the Tesla Cybertruck; we look forward to hearing your own impressions.

 

INDRO PILOT DEMONSTRATION

 

InDro Pilot is a hardware and software solution that literally gives superpowers to Enterprise Drones with Pixhawk flight controllers. Similar to InDro Commander, the hardware side includes a bolt-on module that contains a powerful EDGE computer, Robot Operating System (ROS1 and ROS2) software libraries, along with USB ports and power supplies to enable the rapid integration of other sensors.

But that’s not all. InDro Pilot has been designed to stream even highly dense data to the ground and cloud securely and simultaneously over 5G networks via a *really* high-speed modem. The software includes an easy-to-use dashboard for both manual and automated flights, including customizable windows for the output of each sensor.

Thinking about Beyond Visual Line of Sight flights? InDro Pilot is ready. Whether the operator is down the block or across the country, operations with virtually zero latency can be carried out over 5G. In addition, InDro Pilot includes a software-defined radio. This allows the automated broadcast of the drone’s altitude and position directly to nearby crewed aircraft over standard RF. In applications for Special Flight Operations Certificates, this capability is viewed as mitigating risk and making BVLOS safer.

Want to integrate additional sensors? No problem. The InDro Pilot software includes drag-and-drop modules for virtually any sensor you can imagine. Even a winch can be added – with the controls ready to go. The screengrab below is taken directly from our software. (If you’d like to take a deeper dive into the capabilities of the InDro Pilot system, you’ll find a comprehensive story here.)

INDRO FORGE

 

The other big development on our end recently has been an expansion. InDro Robotics and Invest Ottawa have formed a strategic partnership that sees InDro Robotics taking over the management and operations of the facility previously known as the Bayview Yards Prototyping Lab. The cutting-edge design and fabrication lab will now be known as InDro Forge – and will expand its offerings to include limited production runs and other specialty one-off fabrication.

The addition of InDro Forge to our portfolio means more options for inventors, entrepreneurs and Small to Medium Enterprises (SMEs) looking for assistance with the design and production of high-quality prototypes. Clients can literally walk in with a napkin sketch and work with the InDro Forge team toward a polished industrial design, followed by fabrication using some of the specialty on-site machines and processes. Those include:

  • CNC machining
  • Silicone and urethane casting
  • Multi-element 3D printing (including metal)
  • Electronics and Printed Circuit Board fabrication and analysis

Though InDro Forge is located at Bayview Yards, we’ll be talking about its capabilities at TCXpo. If you’re interested in a detailed look, ask us if we can line you up with a tour. (And if you’d like to read about InDro Forge in greater detail, check out this post.)

 

DARTT

 

Plus, don’t forget about DARTT – Canada’s only Drone and Advanced Robot Training and Testing facility. Located at Area X.O, DARTT is designed to put ground robots through tests that conform to the rigorous criteria established by the National Institute for Standards and Technology (NIST). There are multiple surfaces designed to challenge agility, Ingress Protection, and incline capabilities. There’s also a huge netted enclosure to safely pilot and test drones, including those with new or experimental features that might normally require an SFOC if flown outside the confines of DARTT.

Team InDro will be running demos at DARTT throughout the day, including offering TCXpo attendees the opportunity to remotely operate a ground robot – and even pilot a drone. InDro operates the DARTT facility, and can also carry out RPAS Flight Reviews and custom training at the site.

If you think DARTT sounds cool, you’re absolutely right. How cool? Well, take a look at this:

 

INDRO’S TAKE

 

TCXpo is a great place to showcase technology, and we’re looking forward to demonstrating our latest innovations. But there’s much more to see than just InDro.

“TCXpo is a tremendous event for Canada’s Smart Mobility space,” says InDro CEO Philip Reece. “Transport Canada, Invest Ottawa and other sponsors really understand the transformative potential of these technologies and want to help showcase the industry-at-large. We’re pleased to participate, along with scores of other companies in this emerging sector.”

It’s actually a pretty big week in Ottawa. The day after TCXpo, Area X.O will host the annual CAV Canada event, a day of demonstrations, knowledge-sharing and networking devoted to Connected and Autonomous Vehicles and the companies that power them. Philip Reece will be hosting a panel at this year’s CAV Canada.

Finally, if you’re interested in attending TCXpo, you can register for free right here.

 

InDro Robotics expands with InDro Forge prototyping & custom fabrication

InDro Robotics expands with InDro Forge prototyping & custom fabrication

Sep 18, 2023 | InDro Forge, InDro News, News Release, Scott Simmie

By Scott Simmie

 

InDro Robotics is pleased to announce it is now managing InDro Forge – a prototyping and custom fabrication facility utilising tools including metal 3D printing, CNC machining, silicone and urethane casting, and more.

The facility is located in Ottawa, and was formerly known as the Bayview Yards Prototyping Lab. Previously run by Invest Ottawa, the facility is a “one stop shop” for entrepreneurs and Small to Medium Enterprises (SMEs) seeking the custom design and fabrication of prototypes. The location features a variety of tools for additive and subtractive manufacturing all under one roof – along with a team with the requisite expertise. InDro Forge also plans expand into other areas, including limited production runs and other custom fabrication for specialty sectors.

The strategic partnership with Invest Ottawa brings InDro’s R&D and engineering expertise to The Forge, while Invest Ottawa will promote the facility and its capabilities to potential clients.

For both partners, this is a perfect match.

“We look forward to enhancing this already-excellent facility and broadening its capabilities and services,” says InDro Robotics CEO Philip Reece. “This is a great fit for InDro, and we’re truly excited about the possibilities for existing and new clients.”

There’s equal enthusiasm from Invest Ottawa:

“InDro Robotics is an ideal partner for our prototyping lab, Invest Ottawa, and the many innovators and companies we serve,” said Michael Tremblay, President and CEO of Invest Ottawa. “We look forward to building on our strong collaboration at Area X.O, and helping firms leverage the evolving prototyping and production capabilities available through InDro Forge to accelerate their technology commercialization and business growth. We are excited to house this expertise right here at Bayview Yards, our innovation hub.” 

Let’s dive in.

Below: This 3D printer can create products in a variety of metals, including titanium.

 

InDro Forge

RAPID PROTOTYPING – AND MORE

 

The facility has already built a reputation for its work with rapid prototyping. Inventors, startups and SMEs have walked through the door with an idea for a prototype. They might want it for a proof of concept, a Minimum Viable Product – or simply as a working model to take and show investors.

Working with staff, they receive a full-fledged industrial design that is then fabricated in any one (or combination) of a number of materials. (The 3D printer alone can work with some 25 substances, including ABS and metal.) The Bayview Yards Prototyping lab built an excellent reputation for this kind of work. It was also an all-in-one solution for companies that didn’t have the equipment, time or expertise to carry out this highly specialised work.

Now, with InDro Robotics at the helm, we anticipate significant synergy between our Area X.O engineering team and the experts at InDro Forge. The latter will be able to draw on the expertise in aerial and ground robotics from our core R&D engineering hub. In turn, InDro Robotics will be able to add the design and fabrication capabilities of InDro Forge to its portfolio of services. What’s more, InDro has plans to extend the offerings of the lab, offering limited production runs and other custom fabrication services.

“We see the value when people come to us with a napkin sketch and leave with a physical prototype they can show investors,” says InDro Forge’s Pablo Arzate, an industrial designer with special expertise in additive manufacturing. He also sees synergy in the transition to InDro Robotics. 

“I personally am very excited – I feel like it’s meant to be,” he says. 

Below: Advanced capabilities include a water jet machine, capable of slicing through several inches of steel

Advanced Manufacturing

THE INDRO FORGE ADVANTAGE

 

For startups and SMEs, there’s a clear advantage to outsourcing prototypes and other complex design and fabrication to InDro Forge. Few companies, particularly smaller ones, have this kind of equipment and in-house expertise. InDro Forge is equipped with a wide array of additive and subtractive manufacturing capabilities, including:

  • CNC machining
  • Silicone and urethane casting
  • Multi-element 3D printing (including metal)
  • Electronics and Printed Circuit Board fabrication and analysis

There’s much more, of course. But none of those machines or capabilities would be much use without the highly skilled InDro Forge team members. With backgrounds in industrial design and engineering (and many years of experience), they’re experts in multiple fabrication processes. The core team that worked with Invest Ottawa have stayed on and are now working with InDro Robotics. We’re pleased to welcome:

  • Joel Koscielski, Senior Manager of Design and Fabrication (and a mechanical engineer)
  • Pablo Arzate, Industrial Designer
  • Tom O’Leary, Fabricator and Machine Operator (and metal sculptor!)

For those seeking custom and complex fabrication, the InDro Forge advantage is clear.

“If you don’t have these machines at your disposal, it’s definitely great to find a place with the expertise to help you out,” says O’Leary. “If you don’t have these capabilities then we are here to help create the thing that you’re looking to create. We’re set up to help anybody who comes in with anything from an engineering project to a napkin drawing.”

InDro Forge offers services ranging from one-off prototypes to full product development.

“Some of our other clients come to us where they have an early prototype that they’ve cobbled together. It tells them that their idea is possible but it’s not a product yet,” says Joel Koscielski. “So we’ll help them turn that into a more refined version of itself. We might do one of those, we might do five – even 25.”

Projects can be big – or small.

“Sometimes it’s just that extra bit of capacity – they themselves have never had to make a sheet metal box that looks good,” adds Koscielski.

Below: You dream it, they can make it. From L-R, Koscielski, Arzate and O’Leary

 

Joel Koscielski
Pablo Arzate

FAVOURITE MACHINES

 

With all of those sophisticated fabrication capabilities in-house, you might guess that team members at InDro Forge have their own favourite machine. And you’d be right.

“My favorite machine is most definitely the Markforged II, it just stands out as a remarkable piece of engineering,” says Pablo Arzate.

“Its precision and versatility in 3D printing technology never cease to amaze me. The Markforged II’s ability to fabricate parts with carbon fiber and nylon on top of reinforcement fiber materials, including carbon fiber, glass fiber, and kevlar, opens up a world of possibilities for product development and rapid prototyping. Whether I’m creating intricate prototypes or functional components, the Markforged II consistently delivers impeccable results, making it an indispensable part of my creative and engineering endeavors.”

For Tom O’Leary, it’s the water jet – which uses a precision stream of water mixed with fine grit under immense pressure to cut and shape just about anything.

“My favourite piece in the shop is the giant basin of water,” he laughs. “It cuts with 55,000 PSI coming out of a tiny nozzle; it’s like having a saw with a calligraphy pen at the end of it. It’s absolutely capable of cutting through six inches of anything ranging from steel to glass to acryclic.”

And Joel Koscielski? He’s also particularly fond of the Markforged Mark II 3D Printer. 

“As a Fused Deposition Modelling printer using a carbon fiber reinforced nylon composite material – which has the ability to embed other continuous fiber structures into the parts – it is a true workhorse of innovation,” he says.

“On top of its use for functional parts for prototypes and products alike, its quality and surface finish allow me to make parts which can be used in sales or demonstration environments on the exterior of prototypes, not just on the inside. This is further complimented by a range of innovative solutions our team has developed such as interior metal reinforcement structures to push its parts into new and exciting areas of us.”

InDro Forge

INDRO’S TAKE

 

This is a major development for InDro Robotics, and we have big plans for InDro Forge. We’re excited to expand our team with the talented crew at InDro Forge and look forward to serving clients large and small.

“This is really just such a logical fit for InDro Robotics,” says CEO Philip Reece. “Whether it’s working with new clients or assisting our own, InDro Forge has all the right stuff – including the right people.”

We’ve issued a news release on the new transition/strategic partnership. You can find that right here.