Business
November 5, 2009

Newfoundland and Labrador�s advantages for research and commercial applications of autonomous vehicles were highlighted last night by the Honourable Ross Wiseman, Minister of Business at a national conference taking place in Victoria, British Columbia. Minister Wiseman addressed approximately 300 industry, academia and government delegates from across the country at the 7th annual conference of UVS Canada, the national Unmanned Vehicle Systems industry association.

"The UVS industry, nationally and globally, is expected to experience tremendous growth because of the wide-ranging applications these technologies have for commercial and military use," said Minister Wiseman. "Newfoundland and Labrador�s education and R&D centres, in partnership with industry, are spearheading new enhancements in autonomous underwater applications, aerial programs and robotics. With our strategic location, renowned educational and research institutions, leading-edge companies, and infrastructure, our province can play a role in expanding the UVS sector into the future."

Air, ground and marine UVS technologies represent an emerging segment of the aerospace and defence industry. A survey for AUVSI-Canada found that the Canadian UVS sector generated an estimated $787 million in revenues in 2007 and is expanding rapidly, with annual growth of the industry globally projected to be 31 per cent.

Minister Wiseman noted that collaboration between education and industry on UVS research and commercialization is being actively advanced in the province. For example, the RAVEN project, a partnership between Memorial University and Provincial Aerospace, has used small, lightweight Unmanned Aerial Vehicles for maritime surveillance in the challenging North Atlantic, and is implementing "Sense and Avoid" technology to commercialize an innovative autonomous collision avoidance system for the vehicle. Another project based at the Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science saw the Memorial Explorer AUV (autonomous underwater vehicle) deployed earlier this year under Arctic Ocean ice. The Memorial team successfully designed, developed, fabricated and tested a special retention system for AUV use in harsh environments, as part of the national program to extend Canada�s exclusive economic zone in the north.

The Town of Happy Valley-Goose Bay and Serco Inc, the service provider for the Department of National Defence at 5-Wing Goose Bay, also attended the conference and joined the Provincial Government in touting the province�s strategic advantages for UVS activities from a Labrador perspective.

"It was the aerospace industry that created our community of Happy Valley-Goose Bay, and it is advances in this industry that will steer our town into the future," said Leo Abbass, Mayor of the Town of Happy Valley-Goose Bay. "Through partnerships with all levels of government and companies such as Serco the vision is clear:  Freedom to Fly at Goose Bay."

Serco is promoting 5-Wing Goose Bay�s suitability as a site for assembly, repair, testing and training for military and commercial UVS applications.

"Serco has been a strong supporter of the Canadian and Allied Forces at Goose Bay for the past 11 years," said Al Casey, Site Manager Serco Inc. "5-Wing Goose Bay offers world class facilities and airspaces that are second to none for any type of aircraft operations, including UVS applications. The vast airspaces and sparse population of the training area together with the outstanding infrastructure on the base make 5 Wing Goose Bay a premier venue for industrial testing and evaluation of new Unmanned Aerial Systems and an impressive training ground for established UAS that are currently in service with the allied forces around the world."

As a gateway to the north, Labrador is positioned to play a role in the development and deployment of autonomous air and underwater systems for activities related to Canadian arctic sovereignty. There are also potential opportunities for UVS use associated with natural gas exploration and development offshore Labrador.

In Budget 2009: Building on Our Strong Foundation, the Provincial Government announced the creation of a new two-year, $5 million Aerospace and Defence Development Fund.

"Our government is actively supporting the growth of aerospace and defence and other modern, innovative industries in Newfoundland and Labrador," said Minister Wiseman. "We will continue to work with industry, education and other partners to build on our foundation, promote our assets, and create more opportunities in the province for UVS-related activity."

The 7th annual UVS Canada national conference is taking place in Victoria, British Columbia from November 2-5. For more information, visit www.uvscanada.org.