Department of Natioal Defence-led RED COBALT brought Canadian Armed Forces operators and defence innovators together for live demonstrations at Area X.O Killaloe, marking the public debut of the new site and demonstrating the collaborative model at the heart of Ottawa-Gatineau’s Global Defence Innovation Hub. 

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Picture a 6,600-foot runway that hasn’t seen an aircraft take off since the Cold War, suddenly filled with golf carts, camera crews, autonomous vehicles, and, most importantly, high-speed drones in pursuit through the sky. 

That was the scene at Area X.O Killaloe on August 11 and 12, when the Department of National Defence (DND) and Canadian Joint Force Command (CJFC) brought the inaugural RED COBALT Uncrewed Systems (UxS) Accelerator to Invest Ottawa’s newly fit-up Area X.O Killaloe site – a two-day technology showcase that closed with a VIP demonstration day on the 12th with the honourable David McGuinty, and Minister of National Defence of Canada, General Jennie Carignan, Chief of Defence Staff of Canada, among attendees. 

This event was the first time the public got a fresh look at Area X.O Killaloe, and the timing of the facility’s introduction matters greatly to a variety of stakeholders. 

Roughly 200 Candian Armed Forces (CAF) personnel spent the two days connecting directly with just over 20 defence innovation companies, 18 of them Canadian, all working on drone, counter-drone, and uncrewed ground vehicle technology. 

For a region making the case that it’s a defence innovation hub, this event and this new nation-building facility brought the vision forward for all to see. 

Day two’s morning session set the tone: remarks from the Honourable David J. McGuinty, Minister of National Defence; General Jennie Carignan, Chief of the Defence Staff; Lieutenant General Darcy Molstad, commander of Canadian Joint Forces Command; and Sonya Shorey, President and CEO of Invest Ottawa and Area X.O, with Lieutenant Colonel Jayme Leclerc serving as master of ceremonies. 

An energy you could feel

Chief of the Defence Staff General Jennie Carignan said it best as she addressed the room as part of the morning’s panel: “We definitely feel an energy here today.” 

It showed. The runway itself became a kind of open-air trade show, CAF operators, government and industry mixing under a summer sky, golf carts ferrying VIP guests between two live demonstration zones where drones and counter-drone systems took centre stage in front of media, industry officials, and defence personnel. 

Skilled first– person-view (FPV) drone operators chased down gliders at high speeds, and in mid-air, knocked them out of the sky in take-down scenarios, as representatives from the participating companies informed attendees in real-time. 

And that’s just one of several live looks offered throughout the day at how drones can be used to neutralize incoming threats and helps in understanding when you’ve watched it happen twenty feet away. 

And this event, and this facility, makes testing scenarios like this a real possibility. 

Why the companies came

For the Ottawa-area companies on-site, homegrown startups and allied soft-landed companies alike, the two days were about more than putting on a show. They were a chance to validate technology directly with the operators and end users who will eventually buy and deploy it, shortening the long road from prototype to procurement. 

That kind of validation is exactly what helps Ottawa’s defence tech companies get to market, to customers, and to revenue faster, safely, which in turn drives regional economic development, job creation, and deal flow across the Capital Region and beyond. 

It’s a big part of why Area X.O Killaloe exists in the first place, and it’s the same opportunity the Honourable David J. McGuinty, Minister of National Defence, pointed to in his own morning remarks. 

“The future of defence will belong to those who can innovate, adapt, and deliver capabilities the fastest,” McGuinty said. “We’re creating a faster pathway for Canadian technologies to move from concept to operational testing, and into the hands of the women and men who protect Canada every day. 

“At the same time,” he added, “we’re creating new opportunities for Canadian businesses, researchers, workers, and investors.” 

Why Killaloe, specifically 

One challenge with defence technology, and the testing of it: a lot of it simply can’t be tested in a busy, populated city environment. 

Area X.O Killaloe’s location is strategic and deliberate, and it’s a real competitive advantage for innovators here and beyond. Unrestricted Class G airspace and no nearby populated areas make room for testing at altitudes and payloads that most airspace can’t accommodate, capabilities that are essential to getting drones, counter-drones, and uncrewed systems to market faster and safely. 

That’s why Invest Ottawa operates the site as an extension of Area X.O Greenbelt, an all-weather research and development complex and NATO DIANA test centre. 

For Ottawa-based companies, that two-hour drive is the point. The high-altitude, heavier-payload flight testing many drone and counter-drone technologies need simply isn’t possible inside city limits. Killaloe puts that testing within reach instead of out of reach entirely, letting companies keep their teams, their talent, and their headquarters right here in the Capital Region while still validating technology against real operational conditions. 

“Area X.O exists for one purpose, to help innovators and companies get to market, customers, and revenue faster, safely,” said Sonya Shorey, President and CEO of Invest Ottawa and Area X.O. 

“Every capability accelerated here strengthens Canada’s security, grows more Canadian companies, creates high-value jobs, attracts investment, and builds a stronger, more sovereign economy.” 

From pavement to procurement 

Across both live demonstration zones and the booths inside, CAF operators worked directly alongside innovators, putting drones, counter-drone systems, and uncrewed ground vehicles to work on real operational challenges . 

That’s the collaboration model that DND and CAF are pursuing: users, developers, and manufacturers together from the outset, showing tangible progress right here in the Capital Region. 

Two days, one old runway, and a clear signal that Ottawa’s defence tech companies aren’t just building for the future. They’re testing for it, right down the road. 

As Lieutenant General Darcy Molstad, commander of Canadian Joint Forces Command, put it: “By strengthening collaboration between government, industry, and operators, we are building the foundation for a faster capability development cycle, and a more agile, resilient, industrial base that can respond when it is needed most. Canadian industry has immense potential to deliver world-leading capabilities in autonomous systems.” 

“Remember,” he added. “This is the beginning. We’re building a foundation. If you build it, they will come.” 

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• Canada’s largest next-gen live demonstration event, GCXpo, is just around the corner on September 29 at Area X.O Greenbelt. Learn more about how to demonstrate, sponsor or attend. 
• Learn more about how Ottawa-Gatineau’s Global Defence Innovation Hub is bringing government, industry, and innovators together like this, right across the Capital Region.