The Consortium for Research and Innovation in Aerospace in Quebec (CRIAQ) has reached a significant milestone in its strategic defence positioning. On September 15, 2026, the organization was officially selected as a qualified supplier by the Government of Canada for the Defence Drone Initiative Marketplace (DDIM), paving the way for greater involvement by CRIAQ, its members, and its partners in Canadian military autonomous and unmanned systems projects.
The Defence Drone Initiative: an agile procurement mechanism
Launched in July 2026 by the Government of Canada, the Defence Drone Initiative (DDI) aims to accelerate the development, testing, and production of Canadian autonomous and unmanned systems that meet the operational needs of the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF). In a geopolitical context where mastery of military drone technologies has become a matter of national sovereignty, Canada is accelerating the modernization of its defence capabilities.
A defining feature of the DDI is its agile procurement mechanism, designed to speed up the transition of promising technologies from the conceptual stage to production and eventual operational deployment within the CAF. This model represents a significant shift from traditional acquisition cycles, which are often seen as too slow given the rapid pace of development in autonomous defence technologies.
Stream 5: innovation, experimentation and technology maturation
Among the five streams of the DDI, CRIAQ was selected under Stream 5, dedicated to innovation and experimentation. This stream covers a broad spectrum of activities: technological innovation, experimentation under operational conditions, technology maturation, concept exploration, and prototype development. By joining this pool of qualified suppliers, CRIAQ becomes eligible to respond to future requests for proposals specifically in these areas.
Stream 5 also contributes to strengthening Canada's capacity to build partnerships that foster the identification and development of innovative Canadian solutions aligned with the country's national strategic defence priorities. CRIAQ serves as a catalyst in this process, bridging research expertise with the concrete operational needs of the Canadian Armed Forces.
Unprecedented opportunities for the research ecosystem
"CRIAQ's selection recognizes our ability to generate new collaborations to strengthen the potential of the research and innovation ecosystem. More broadly, it opens unprecedented opportunities for our team, our members, and our partners." – Guillaume Côté, CEO, CRIAQ
For Carolane Lévesque, Defence Director for CRIAQ and the RSRI network, this qualification validates the relevance of Quebec's collaborative research model in addressing national defence challenges:
"This qualification demonstrates the added value of the collaborative research model of Quebec's industrial research groupings (RSRI). It positions us strategically to continue our mission: bridging expertise with the operational needs of the defence sector." – Carolane Lévesque, Defence Director, CRIAQ and RSRI
CRIAQ: a cornerstone of Quebec's aerospace innovation since 2002
Founded in 2002, CRIAQ is one of nine industrial research groupings (RSRI) active in Quebec. Its mission is to increase the competitiveness of the aerospace industry by stimulating innovation through collaborative research and development. The organization operates at the intersection of universities, research centres, and industry, facilitating knowledge transfer and technology adoption by its member companies.
This selection for the DDIM is part of CRIAQ's ongoing work to contribute to strengthening Canada's sovereign capabilities in advanced technologies. It also represents an opportunity for Quebec's aerospace industry to assert itself in three priority domains: digital aviation, future air mobility, and sustainable aerospace, all of which hold strong potential for next-generation defence technologies.
CRIAQ's qualification for the DDIM creates concrete opportunities for aerospace professionals and companies looking to get involved in Canadian military drone projects. To explore career opportunities in this fast-growing sector, browse aerospace and defence job postings on AeroCareer.ca.