MINERVA Initiative – Uncrewed Air System for Cargo/Munition Drop

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This Challenge Notice is issued under the Innovative Solutions Canada Program (ISC) Call for Proposals 004 (EN578-24ISC4). For general ISC information, Offerors can visit the ISC website at: http://www.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/101.nsf/eng/home

Please refer to the Solicitation Documents Innovative Solutions Canada Program Call for Proposals – 004 - Tender Notice | CanadaBuys https://canadabuys.canada.ca/en/tender-opportunities/tender-notice/cb-331-17030872 which contains the process for submitting a proposal.

Here are a few things you need to know before you get started on your application to this challenge:

1. This challenge is only open to receive proposals for Phase 2 (prototype development) of our Challenge Stream.

- Proposed solutions that fall within technology readiness level (TRL) 5 and 9 can be submitted to this challenge:

https://ised-isde.canada.ca/site/innovative-solutions-canada/en/isc-technology-readiness-level-scale

2. We recently made changes to the Challenge Stream; we have outlined the new parameters:

https://ised-isde.canada.ca/site/innovative-solutions-canada/en/challenges

Steps to apply:

Step 1: Read this challenge.

Step 2: Read the Call for Proposals : https://canadabuys.canada.ca/en/tender-opportunities/tender-notice/cb-331-17030872

Step 3: Propose your solution here : https://ised-isde.canada.ca/site/innovative-solutions-canada/en/minerva-initiative-uncrewed-air-system-cargomunition-drop?auHash=aUYSwVfmHbX1C0Ib4yBClo29RgX8gchivNFIqzsBK8s

Challenge title: MINERVA Initiative – Uncrewed Air System for Cargo/Munition Drop

Challenge sponsor: Department of National Defense (DND)

The Department of National Defence (DND) and the Canadian Army (CA) requires an uncrewed aircraft system (UAS) for the aerial delivery of cargo and munitions that is domestically produced, easy to operate and maintain, and adequately rugged to enable the Canadian soldier to successfully fight and survive on the future battlefield.

Challenge sponsor:

Department of National Defense (DND)

Funding mechanism:

Contract

Opening date:

August 24, 2026

Closing date:

October 5, 2026, 14:00 Eastern time

Challenge

Problem statement

The CA soldier will face an increasingly complex and dangerous battlespace in the future. A major element of the complexity and danger is the proliferation of multi-spectral sensors and precision weapons that will limit the CA’s ability to move cargo and strike enemy targets at range by using attributable ballistic trajectory weapons without the risk of being targeted and attacked. The CA presently lacks an UAS capable of conducting short-range cargo delivery of light supplies or remote munitions drops. The CA requires an innovative uncrewed aircraft system (UAS) that provides an uncrewed alternative to move combat supplies forward towards the frontline and to deliver munitions independent of predictable ballistic trajectories and launch signatures. This innovation must be simple, durable, and highly survivable, providing soldiers with an effective capability for future conflicts that integrates seamlessly into operations while minimizing training and maintenance requirements, allowing soldiers to focus on their mission.

Desired outcomes and considerations

Essential (mandatory) outcomes

The proposed solution would:

1. Be composed of an:

a. Air vehicle: The airframe containing the onboard electronics, propulsion, and payload.

b. Sensor payload: The equipment required for navigation and to complete a mission, such as cameras or imaging systems.

c. Ground control station (GCS): The system (laptop, tablet, or handheld controller) used by the human operator to control flight and manage missions.

d. Radio: The wireless system that connects the GCS to the UAS to transmit commands and receive telemetry/data.

e. Battery with charger: A battery for the UAS and a battery charger capable of charging multiple batteries simultaneously.

f. Remote antenna: An external antenna placed 100m away from the GCS to enhance signal strength, reduce interference, and extend operational range.

2. Operate in various weather conditions, including at a minimum:

a. temperature range of -20°C and +40°C;

b. minimum windspeed of up to 40 km/hr; and

c. light rain or snow ranging 0.5mm/m²/hr.

3. Be able to carry a minimum payload of 5kg of cargo.

4. Have a maximum takeoff weight than 25kg (includes payload).

5. Have both a minimum operational radius of 10km and an endurance of 30 min in continuous movement while carrying its payload.

6. Have vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) capability in a maximum area of 2m².

7. Be stowable in a 70-litre pack.

8. Be capable of operating at a minimum operational altitude of 1000 feet Above Ground Level (AGL).

Additional outcomes

The proposed solution should:

1. Be deployable from a stowed state to a mission-ready state in 10 minutes or less. This includes the completion of all pre-mission preparation activities, including but not limited to unloading vehicle, loading/fueling the power system and loading/configuring mission set resulting in a vehicle that is fully mission-ready at the line of departure.

2. Have a sensor that enables the operator to recognize a target at a minimum distance under the following conditions:

a. Day – Person (180cm) at 0.5km, Vehicle (5m x 3m x 2m) at 1km

b. Night – Person (180cm) at 0.25km, Vehicle (5m x 3m x 2m) at 0.5km

3. Emit no more than 5 decibels Sound Pressure Level (dB SPL) of noise in all frequency ranges, measured at a 500m distance from the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV).

4. Be capable of operating with fibre-optic wire, or an alternate non-Electromagnetic (EM) spectrum means.

5. Incorporate Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) 256k encryption or equivalent for data transmission security.

6. Return to a pre-determined location, hover/loiter and/or climb in case of loss of link.

7. Have an aggregated projected production cost of $40,000 CAD or less per system.

8. Have a Ground Control Station (GCS) that:

a. Incorporates a training simulation capability for Mission Planning.

b. Has a minimum remote antenna cable length of 50m.

c. Enables UAS navigation via both direct operator control and autonomously using waypoint navigation via the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS).

d. Displays the following information:

- Location of vehicle in 6 figure Military Grid Reference System (MGRS);

- Orientation of vehicle (pitch/roll/yaw);

- Point of aim of camera in 6 figure MGRS;

- Real-time full motion video feed;

- Altitude in Metres above Sea Level (MSL); and

- Battery life.

e. Is capable of interfacing with the Tactical Assault Kit (TAK) battle management system to push UAS Position Location Information (PLI) and target PLI.

9. Have an alternate non-electric or hybrid power system capable of sustained operation beyond battery power (i.e. a gas-powered system or a gas/electric hybrid power system).

10. Demonstrate capacity in having its critical components produced and sourced in countries within the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) alliance, NATO Partners or Major Non-NATO Allies . To achieve this, Offerors are requested to provide as an attachment to their proposal, a list identifying the solution's critical components, the country of production and sourcing for each component.

Critical components and requested information for each Critical components are defined in the table below:

Critical components

1. radio

2. ground control station (GCS)

3.on-board computer

4. any software

Requested information

i. Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM): Name of the original equipment manufacturer of the product being sourced

ii. OEM URL: Provide the URL of the OEM

iii. Software: Confirm if developed by Offeror or outsourced

iv. Product name: Provide the OEM’s product name

v. Model number: Provide the OEM’s model and/or version number of the product

vi. Product URL: Provide the URL of the OEM product, model, and version.

vii. Country of origin

Background and context

The CA is undergoing a generational modernization effort to address the evolving nature of technology, the changing character of conflict, and the unravelling of the geopolitical system. The transformative changes being made are conceptually described

in the CA publication Inflection Point 2025. This document provides the broad context for modernization and directs the development and acquisition of key systems. It

states: Key to this transformation is the integration of emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, robotics, autonomous and uncrewed systems. These capabilities will support a wide range of functions, from intelligence analysis and predictive modeling to targeting and operational execution.

The CA, in recognizing this need, has purchased foreign robotics and autonomous systems of varying quality and has identified challenges purchasing systems that meet operational requirements, particularly related to cold-weather operations, and

components that originate from stable supply chains. Furthermore, past procurements have been constrained by limited manufacturing capacity of industry partners.

To address this, the Government of Canada’s