As part of Ottawa Innovation Week 2026, Defence Day at Area X.O brought together defence technology founders, government stakeholders, industry leaders, investors and ecosystem partners for a firsthand look at the technologies, infrastructure and partnerships shaping Canada’s defence innovation ecosystem.

Sponsored by EY, the all-day event was designed to connect decision-makers directly with innovators developing defence and dual-use technologies, offering attendees an opportunity to see emerging capabilities in action while exploring the pathways that move innovation from concept to deployment.

Connecting Where Innovation Happens 

The day began beneath the main event tent at Area X.O, where attendees gathered to network before hearing opening remarks from Shawn Sparling, Vice-President, Area X.O.

In his welcoming message to participants, Sparling reflected on Area X.O’s evolution from its origins as a connected and autonomous vehicle testing environment into a growing platform supporting advanced aerospace, drone, counter-UAS and dual-use technologies.

He emphasized Area X.O’s role in supporting innovators throughout that journey by providing access to infrastructure, expertise and strategic connections.

“It really is a place where you can come with an idea, test it, validate it and advance it all the way toward certification and commercialization,” he said.

Those themes would carry throughout the afternoon as attendees explored both the infrastructure and innovations helping strengthen Canada’s defence and security capabilities.

Inside the Area X.O Command Centre

Following the welcome session, attendees divided into groups to explore Area X.O’s unique testing and validation environment.

One group embarked on a guided tour of the site while the second visited the Area X.O Command Centre with Susanne Cork, Business Development Director, Smart Farm and Advanced Robotics, Area X.O, before rotating through both experiences.

The stop into the Command Centre provided a behind-the-scenes look at how Area X.O integrates sensors, communications networks, robotics platforms and data systems into a common operating picture supporting testing, validation and demonstration activities across the site.

Attendees explored capabilities including private communications infrastructure, drones, ground robotics, thermal imaging systems and digital twin technologies used to simulate and evaluate technologies before deployment in real-world environments.

“We’re really here to support the commercialization and eventual adoption of Canadian-made technologies,” said Cork.

The tour demonstrated how infrastructure, technical expertise and ecosystem partnerships combine to help innovators accelerate the development and deployment of emerging technologies.

Countering Emerging Threats

The groups reconvened for the first live demonstration of the afternoon, hosted by Sensofusion, a Finnish counter-drone company that established operations in Ottawa at Area X.O last year to support its growing North American customer base and strengthen collaboration with Canadian defence and industry partners.

Representatives showcased the company’s AirFence suite of counter-drone technologies, including the compact AirFence Mini, which was passed among attendees for a closer look. The demonstration highlighted how integrated detection, monitoring and command-and-control capabilities can help organizations establish situational awareness around critical infrastructure and other sensitive environments.

Sensofusion also highlighted its growing Canadian footprint, including efforts to establish local supply chains, expand manufacturing capabilities and deepen its presence within Canada’s defence innovation ecosystem.

“We have a 12,000-square-foot manufacturing facility that we’re fitting up right now, support additional expansion,” said Aidan Gagich, Business Operations Manager for Sensofusion.

The company also outlined initiatives aimed at helping customers develop local production capabilities, reinforcing a broader focus on strengthening domestic manufacturing and supply-chain resilience.

The presentation reflected a recurring theme throughout the day: strengthening Canadian capability while creating opportunities for international collaboration, investment and technology development.

Building a Common Operating Picture

The focus then shifted from physical technologies to emergency management and coordination as Ottawa-based CounterCrisis Tech demonstrated its IC4W platform.

Founded to address a recognized interoperability gap in Canada’s emergency management ecosystem, the platform enables governments, public safety agencies and emergency response organizations to coordinate resources, share information and maintain situational awareness during complex incidents.

Using a large-scale wildfire scenario in Northern Ontario, Founder and CEO Don Williams demonstrated how information from multiple agencies, sensors and data sources can be integrated into a unified operating environment.

“It’s an interoperable technology platform that allows key stakeholders involved in preparing for or responding to large-scale disasters to interoperate, collaborate, communicate and coordinate,” said Williams.

As the scenario unfolded, Williams demonstrated how agencies could share information, monitor resources and coordinate response activities through a common operating picture.

“This is how you have shared situational awareness about multiple organizations responding to a large-scale incident.”

The demonstration illustrated how technologies developed for emergency management can also support broader public safety, security and resilience objectives, reinforcing the dual-use nature of many innovations showcased throughout the day.

Canadian Innovation Takes Flight

The demonstrations continued at Area X.O’s mobile operations area, where attendees gathered to experience Canadian-developed drone technologies in action.

Representatives from Robotics Centre showcased both the Skydio X10D and the company’s own line of Canadian-designed first-person-view (FPV) drones, developed in response to growing demand for domestically produced defence and security technologies. As described by Chief Operating Officer Bill Dickie, the drone is over 50 percent Canadian in content and is manufactured in the Ottawa area.

The live demonstration quickly captured attendees’ attention. Wearing a headset connected to the drone’s live video feed, the operator stepped away from the launch area before sending the aircraft skyward.

Within seconds, the drone raced across the test zone, offering a glimpse of the speed and responsiveness that have made FPV systems increasingly relevant in modern defence environments.

Though attendees were assured they were seeing a restrained demonstration, the drone manoeuvred expertly through the air, including a targeting-style orbit from above. A nearby monitor displayed the aircraft’s perspective in real time, allowing spectators to experience the flight through the operator’s eyes.

Attendees were also introduced to the Shuriken platform, nicknamed the “pizza drone” because of its flat-packed configuration into a box that closely resembles a pizza box.

Designed and developed in Ottawa, the platform can be assembled in approximately ten minutes and was built around logistics, flexibility and right-to-repair principles to ensure it’s functional for the user.

The demonstration also featured what Chief Technology Office Steve Carkner described as a first: a drone running with a Canadian-made battery provided by new Canadian battery company VoltaXplore.

“I don’t just mean we assemble it with imported cells,” Carkner emphasized. “The cells themselves are actually built in Montreal.”

Together, the demonstration highlighted the growing strength of Canada’s domestic defence technology supply chain, from intellectual property and manufacturing to advanced energy systems.

Quietly Demonstrating Long-Range Reconnaissance

The final demonstration of the afternoon featured Redwire Defence Tech and its Stalker Block 30 unmanned aerial system.

As attendees gathered near the launch area, company representatives introduced the aircraft’s intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities before preparing it for flight. A Canada goose graphic printed on the aircraft’s nose drew attention from the crowd, while questions quickly turned to the aircraft’s unusually shaped propellers, which according to Tim Muchmore, Program Manager, Redwire Defence, not only make it much quieter, but also help it to fit into common transport containers.

The aircraft lifted off with a brief whir and roar before transitioning into forward flight and becoming almost imperceptible on the horizon.

One attendee, surprised by how quickly the aircraft seemed to disappear from view, asked how operators would know when it was returning.

“You won’t,” Muchmore said. “That’s the point,”

The Stalker glided quietly toward the far edge of the site, demonstrating the low acoustic signature that makes it well suited for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions. Against the backdrop of Area X.O’s test environment, the aircraft moved almost silently through the air, more closely resembling a glider than a conventional drone.

Company representatives also highlighted the advantages of developing and testing their drone technologies directly at Area X.O.

“The beauty of this location is the fact I can open up my garage, walk it over here and take off,” they said.

The comment captured one of the recurring themes of Defence Day: the importance of providing innovators with immediate access to the infrastructure they need to test, validate and demonstrate emerging technologies.

From Demonstration to Connection

As the demonstrations concluded, attendees reconvened for closing remarks from Sparling, who reflected on the conversations, connections and technologies showcased throughout the afternoon.

The day had provided a firsthand look at how innovators are developing, testing and validating defence and dual-use technologies in real-world environments while creating opportunities for direct engagement between founders, engineers, government stakeholders, investors and industry partners.

Sparling encouraged attendees to continue the conversation later that evening at Canada’s Defence Innovation Hub Celebration and Reception, part of Ottawa Innovation Week and proudly sponsored by EY.

Hosted in downtown Ottawa, the reception was designed to bring together leaders, partners and contributors helping build momentum behind Ottawa-Gatineau’s growing defence innovation ecosystem, providing an opportunity to strengthen relationships and celebrate the collaboration driving innovation across the region.

The event featured a panel to reflect on the momentum advancing the Defence Innovation Hub across the Ottawa–Gatineau region, as well as an opportunity to discuss the changing landscape and what’s to come.

Together, the day’s events reflected a broader vision for Canada’s Capital Region: one where innovators, researchers, investors, governments and allied partners work together to develop, test and deploy technologies that strengthen Canada’s security, sovereignty and economic competitiveness.

Looking Ahead

From counter-UAS systems and emergency management platforms to Canadian-built drones, advanced aerospace technologies and emerging energy solutions, the innovations showcased throughout Defence Day demonstrated both the breadth of talent across Canada’s Capital Region and the importance of environments like Area X.O that enable four-season testing, validation and commercialization.

Throughout the day, attendees experienced firsthand how a defence innovation ecosystem comes together in practice, from testing infrastructure and technical expertise to the partnerships that help transform ideas into operational capabilities.

Defence Day at Area X.O showcased how innovators, industry leaders, government partners and investors are working together to strengthen Canada’s defence and security capabilities while creating new opportunities for growth, commercialization and collaboration.

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• Learn more about Ottawa Innovation Week and discover how Invest Ottawa and its partners are helping accelerate innovation, commercialization and growth across the region.
• To learn more about Area X.O. and Ottawa’s innovation ecosystem, visit areaxo.com and dihub.ca.