SITE TOURS

Experience Alberta’s aerospace and defence innovation up close. Visit leading education, manufacturing, and research facilities, and connect with organizations driving growth and collaboration across the sector. Please see the schedule below. Tour descriptions will be published as they are confirmed.
 

AGENDA

8:45 AM: Bus pick-up at the Hilton DoubleTree Hotel (9576 Jasper Avenue)

8:45-9:00 AM: Bus to NAIT

9:00-10:30 AM: NAIT Tour 
 

i) NAIT Productivity and Innovation Centre 
Applied Research & Technology Capabilities
The tour will begin at the Productivity and Innovation Centre (PIC), with visits to NAIT’s applied research centres, demonstrating how technologies are advanced from concept to deployment.

At the Centre for Data Management and Visualization (CDMV), attendees will see a presentation of the Northern Landscapes Sensitivity Atlas (ATLAS), an interactive geospatial platform co-created with Indigenous communities, demonstrating how environmental, spatial, and traditional knowledge data are integrated into decision-ready visual systems under strong data governance and sovereignty frameworks.

At the Centre for Sensors and System Integration (CSSI), attendees will see an overview of recent applied research in sensors, automation, robotics, machine learning, and AI for dual-use applications, spanning early TRL development to deployment-ready solutions (TRL 8–9), along with a large environmental chamber for testing under extreme conditions and portable private 5G systems deployable in remote operational environments.

ii) Workforce Development & Training 
Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT) is one of Canada’s leading polytechnics and is recognized as the largest apprenticeship trainers, delivering industry-aligned education across trades, technical, and applied programs to support infrastructure, operations, and long-term sustainment needs.
The tour will conclude with visits to select training facilities and programs, where attendees will observe hands-on learning environments and industry-standard equipment used to develop job-ready skills across NAIT’s program areas.

10:30-11:00 AM: Bus to U of A

11:00 AM: U of A Tour 
i) Microwave, Millimetre-Wave, and MetaDevices (M3) Laboratory (Professor Ashwin Iyer) 

Tour attendees will see a closed-circuit wind tunnel facility used for testing UAVs and aerospace components under controlled flow conditions. The facility enables custom experimental evaluation of the aerodynamic, flight-dynamic, and structural performance of aerospace systems. Available measurement capabilities include six-axis force and moment measurements, pressure measurements, high-speed imaging, flow visualization, particle image velocimetry, and dynamic testing. The wind tunnel features a 1.2 m × 2.4 m test section and a maximum speed of 35 m/s, which can be increased to 60 m/s with a secondary contraction nozzle.

ii) Laboratory of Turbulent Flows (Professor Sina Ghaemi):
Tour attendees will experience a leading-edge RF and electromagnetics research lab specializing in antennas, sensors, and advanced electromagnetic materials for communications, sensing, and defence applications. The facility includes an anechoic chamber, near-field antenna measurement systems, and high-frequency test equipment capable of operating up to millimetre-wave frequencies. Visitors will see capabilities spanning the full R&D pipeline—from design and simulation to in-house fabrication (including rapid PCB prototyping) and experimental validation. Demonstrations may highlight compact antenna systems, metamaterials, and sensing technologies designed for harsh or defence-relevant environments.

12:00-12:45 PM: Lunch and Presentation at U of A 
Ecosystem Development Program Presentation, by Ian Smith, Director of Business Development & Founding Member of the Centre for Applied Research in Defence and Dual Use Technologies (CARDD Tech)

1:00-1:30 PM: Bus to YEG with Information Session by Margeaux Maron, Director, Government and Corporate Relations, YEG

1:30-3:00 PM: YEG Tour 

i) Airport Operations Facility (AOF)
- Hydrogen fuelling and drone delivery site

ii) Canadian North Training Centre (EFC Hangar 2)
- Quick tour of CAE 737 simulator

iii) Lockheed Martin Drone Demonstration
 

3:00-3:30 PM: Bus back to hotel.