TerraSense-Led Airborne Sensing Lab Awarded Contract to Support Canada’s RPAS Project
Canadian consortium will collect airborne EO/IR imagery over the Strait of Georgia to support automated target classification for the Royal Canadian Air Force.
TerraSense Analytics is proud to lead the Airborne Sensing Lab (ASL), a Canadian consortium awarded a new contract by 49North in support of Canada's Remotely Piloted Aircraft System (RPAS) project.
Working alongside the University of British Columbia's Survive and Thrive Applied Research (STAR) initiative and KF Aerospace, TerraSense will help deliver airborne electro-optical and infrared (EO/IR) imagery of maritime vessels over the Strait of Georgia. The imagery will support the development of automated target-classification capabilities for the Royal Canadian Air Force's (RCAF) CQ-9B Guardian program.
The contract brings together Canadian expertise in artificial intelligence, airborne sensing and aviation operations to support the development of sovereign defence capabilities.
Supporting Canada's RPAS Project
Under the contract, ASL will provide 49North with a high-quality airborne data-collection platform to capture EO/IR imagery of maritime vessels in real-world operating conditions.
The imagery will support the development of automated target classification, an important component of intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities.
The award forms part of 49North's broader $78.2 million RPAS contract with General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI). 49North is a member of Team SkyGuardian Canada, alongside GA-ASI, CAE and L3Harris WESCAM, supporting the delivery of Canada's new remotely piloted aircraft capability.
The Government of Canada is acquiring 11 CQ-9B Guardian aircraft to enhance the Canadian Armed Forces' ability to conduct surveillance and operations across Canada's vast territory and coastlines, as well as support international missions. First aircraft delivery and acceptance are currently expected in 2028.
Why Real-World Maritime Data Matters for Defence AI
Effective AI-powered surveillance depends on more than sophisticated algorithms. It requires high-quality, representative data that reflects the complexity of operational environments.
For maritime surveillance, that complexity is significant. Vessel type, range, viewing angle, lighting, weather and sea state all influence what airborne sensors capture. Electro-optical and infrared sensors also provide different information about the same environment, creating additional considerations for AI model development.
Synthetic data plays an important role in developing and training AI systems, particularly when real-world examples are limited or difficult to obtain. However, real-world sensor data remains essential for understanding environmental variability, evaluating model performance and improving operational reliability.
By collecting imagery of maritime vessels over Canadian waters, ASL will provide data grounded in the conditions relevant to the RPAS project's target-classification capability.
For TerraSense, whose expertise spans ISR AI, sensor data and machine learning, this work aligns closely with our focus on developing AI capabilities for complex operational environments.
About the Airborne Sensing Lab
The Airborne Sensing Lab is a joint initiative led by TerraSense Analytics in collaboration with UBC's STAR initiative and KF Aerospace.
Established to provide an affordable, high-quality airborne data-collection platform for Canadian research and defence applications, ASL brings together complementary expertise in artificial intelligence, applied research and aviation operations.
The lab was established with support from Pacific Economic Development Canada (PacifiCan). In 2025, PacifiCan announced $1.35 million in funding for UBC Okanagan to support the development of Western Canada's first airborne sensing lab.
KF Aerospace contributes aircraft and operational aviation expertise, while the consortium combines research and technical capabilities to support specialized airborne data-collection missions.
ASL's operators are trained specifically for ISR AI data-collection applications. This specialized approach helps ensure that collected imagery is relevant to the needs of AI developers, supporting data quality while helping reduce the time required for subsequent processing and preparation.
The result is a collaborative platform designed to make real-world airborne sensor data more accessible to Canadian innovators developing the next generation of aerospace and defence technologies.
Learn more about the Airborne Sensing Lab in our previous articles:
Strengthening Canada's Sovereign Defence Capabilities
The contract highlights the important role Canadian small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), academic institutions and aerospace partners play in major national defence programs.
49North's approach to the RPAS project emphasizes collaboration with Canadian organizations to deliver specialized expertise and strengthen domestic capabilities.
For TerraSense, the award provides an opportunity to contribute our AI and airborne sensing expertise to a significant Canadian defence initiative while supporting the growth of the country's domestic defence technology ecosystem.
"TerraSense is proud to support the development of sovereign Canadian defence capabilities through this work with 49North. As Canadian SMEs continue to drive innovation across the defence sector, programs like RPAS show the importance of bringing homegrown technology into national defence capability development."
— Cornell Pich, Vice President of Business Growth and Strategy, TerraSense Analytics
By combining the capabilities of Canadian industry and academia, the Airborne Sensing Lab demonstrates how domestic partnerships can contribute directly to the development of advanced defence technologies.
Advancing Defence AI Through Canadian Collaboration
As Canada's defence capabilities evolve, access to high-quality, operationally relevant data will remain an important part of developing and evaluating AI-enabled systems.
Through this contract, the Airborne Sensing Lab will contribute airborne imagery to support automated target classification for the RCAF's RPAS project, while demonstrating the value of Canadian expertise across artificial intelligence, sensing and aerospace operations.
For TerraSense, this award represents another opportunity to apply our technical expertise to real-world defence challenges and contribute to the development of sovereign Canadian capabilities.
By bringing together Canadian innovators, researchers and aviation specialists, partnerships like ASL are helping strengthen the foundations for Canada's next generation of defence technology.
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