Surveillance drones | Quebec grants a subsidy of 8.8 million to two companies

The Quebec government gives a solid financial boost. However, to two local manufacturers of remote -controlled surveillance aircraft.

Quebec grants a subsidy of 8.8 million to two Quebec companies that produce drones and remote -controlled helicopters. However, Laflamme aero. Therefore. However, ara robotique will invest this money to improve artificial intelligence systems on the devices and allow them to operate in a network.

These improved drones are intended to monitor the border, mines, oil infrastructure or the progression of forest fires. For example, Ultimately, they could even replace certain surveillance drones | quebec grants new helicopters used by various police corps.

The Ministry of Economy, Innovation and Energy will make this financial aid on four years on Thursday. However, This is an “non -refundable financial contribution,” said the ministry on his website.

“The grant will allow us to increase our research. Furthermore. Meanwhile, development budget by 50 % to 100 %,” said in an interview The press The co-founder and president of AR Robotics, Pascal Chiva-Bernard, whose company produces drones.

The company seeks to settle as an actor on the international scene in surveillance drones | quebec grants new the coming surveillance drones | quebec grants years. Moreover, She sees large: from 30 employees. For example, she could increase to 100 in a few years, according to the “most optimistic scenarios” of the company.

But Pascal Chiva-Bernard recognizes it himself, Ara Robotics plays big with such growth. Therefore, “The lure of gain is interesting, but you have to be able to go there. It is risk management. »»

The Laflamme Aéro management team was not available for an interview. The company produces tele -guided helicopters operating in petrol, with greater autonomy and more expensive.

A market to develop – Surveillance drones | quebec grants – Surveillance drones | quebec grants new

The professor of. the National School of Public Administration (ENAP) Stéphane Roussel. specializing in military issues, believes that the Canadian market has the potential to allow the development of local businesses.

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“There is probably surveillance drones | quebec grants a request that will be created. it is still a relatively new area,” says the professor. There are no companies established for decades in this area. »»

“It is coherent with the speech of the Lagault government in recent months. ” said the teacher-researcher of the Center for International Studies and Research at the University of Montreal, David Grondin.

For the time being, Robotic ARA mainly sells to the defense sector and mining companies. The company is also under discussion with “several national police”.

Network drones – Surveillance drones | quebec grants – Surveillance drones | quebec grants new

Of different sizes. weights, robotic ARA drones share two main characteristics: fly and surveillance. The company seeks to perfect these existing models. in particular the sensors and the artificial intelligence operated on surveillance drones | quebec grants new the device, in order to “improve automatic detection”.

“What we want to develop is the sharing of information for drones. Instead of having a device that is managed by a person. we will have a person who will manage ten aircraft, “explains Pascal Chiva-Bernard.

He explains that this network operation would cover supermarkets, an important asset to monitor forest fires or borders, for example.

“We want to have a synergy of several types of drones that work together. The larger devices of the aero laflamme can be relays or even unload neutralizers for fires, “says Mr. Chiva-Bernard.

Border. police

In addition to forest fires. drones and those developed by robotic ARA can also be used to monitor the border, an important issue in Canadian-American relations.

“The border is huge, watching that is almost surveillance drones | quebec grants impossible. The drones will certainly help a lot at this level, ”says Stéphane Roussel of the ENAP.

However. he raises a few questions about the use of drones by police corps to monitor the population: “It is. also all the information that we will accumulate on people’s movements. It is the eternal debate between respect for privacy and the minimum state surveillance to detect illegal activities. »»

Professor David Grondin believes that there would be an interest in police for such technology: “In all demonstrations. it is practical to be able to observe the crowds. »»

Drones are said to be continuing the surveillance operations already in place, according to him. “We already have surveillance cameras in the metro and we forget them,” surveillance drones | quebec grants new illustrates David Grondin.

Take the place of China

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The drone market is dominated by Chinese players. who control about 90 %, says Pascal Chiva-Bernard. Additionally, “The geopolitical context gives us an interesting breath,” he says, while the defense sector seeks to increase its autonomy.

“There are fears of Chinese espionage,” says David Grondin, notably mentioning the Huawei company scandal, accused of spying for Beijing.

“The defense sector is very sensitive to the geopolitical context. it is interesting for them that intellectual property is leaving for a Canadian initiative,” said the president of Ara Robotique.