A group of Canadian tech sector companies including InDro Robotics, backed by government agencies, have announced the opening of the Drone and Advanced Robotics Testing and Training Zone (DARTT), which is being touted as the nation’s first full-range, cutting-edge center for drone, automated ground vehicle, and diverse robotic craft trials.
DARTT is located in Ottawa’s Area X.O, the specialized research, development, and testing facility for next-gen smart mobility, autonomy, and connectivity technologies, whose new annex was declared ready for business today. Financial backers and industry partners include Canadian drone and ground UAV research and training specialist InDro, as well as federal government investment agency FedDev Ontario.
Initiated as a mobility tech support project last February, today’s opening of DARTT will provide sector companies with a critical tool for testing and perfecting new drones, uncrewed ground craft, and robotic vehicles, and offer users exacting training parcourses to hone their skills.
Area X.O’s DARTT demonstration site is the first in Canada to integrate National Institute of Standards and Technology criteria into its operations. Instruction provided to drone and other craft users will range from basic and intermediate levels to the highest skills required of emergency response and other public service pilots.
Read: InDro earns FAA BVLOS waiver for US drone inspections – ‘a Canadian first’
The innovative center will combine Indro’s experience in drone and robotic training with the new, challenging aerial test routes the added Area X.O zone features. Its opening marks a significant advance in the sophistication and diversity of Canada’s testing and training assets, which InDro and other partners can now offer their clients.
“InDro Robotics is honored to be an industry partner in the DARTT Zone at Area X.O, and help to realize the full potential and impact of this facility,” said InDro CEO Philip Reece. “This project builds on our long-standing collaboration with Area X.O and Invest Ottawa. We have located our primary R&D hub at this complex because of the capabilities it provides. Now through the DARTT Zone, we will work together to provide firms with evidence-based testing and training that meets demanding NIST criteria. This is a significant competitive advantage, and a cutting-edge addition to Area X.O.”
According to InDro, Area X.O, and its private and state partners, the new DARTT new facilities will provide users:
- An area for robots that features a variety of surfaces, such as gravel, sand, and water, ramps, sidewalks, stairs, and other objects that abide by the NIST, providing a challenging environment for testing ground robots and their operators.
- An area for drones with a large, netted enclosure for the safe testing of drone failure scenarios, as well as a precision NIST-criteria course to improve high-level drone skills.
- A training area where users can acquire basic, intermediate, and advanced instruction including Remotely Piloted Aircraft System certification and on-site flight reviews. All instruction will be provided by InDro Robotics, building on its long and respected tradition of providing training to drone professionals in adherence with Canadian Aviation Regulations and Transport Canada. Highly specialized courses and micro-credentials will be offered in the future.
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