49North Awards Contract to TerraSense-Led Airborne Sensing Lab for Canada's CQ-9B Guardian Project

49North, a wholly-owned subsidiary of MDA Space, awarded a contract to Airborne Sensing Lab, a consortium led by TerraSense Analytics, to supply an airborne data-collection platform for Canada's Remotely Piloted Aircraft System project. The award, announced by Newswire on October 15, 2026, is part of 49North's $78.2 million RPAS contract with General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc.

TerraSense Consortium to Capture Strait of Georgia Imagery

Airborne Sensing Lab will provide 49North with a high-quality airborne data-collection platform to capture electro-optical and infrared imagery of maritime vessels over the Strait of Georgia. The imagery will support the development of the RPAS project's automated target-classification capability. The consortium brings together TerraSense Analytics, the University of British Columbia Survive and Thrive Applied Research initiative, and KF Aerospace.

49North is a key member of Team SkyGuardian Canada, alongside General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, CAE, and L3Harris WESCAM, working to deliver 11 CQ-9B Guardian aircraft to the Royal Canadian Air Force by 2028. The CQ-9B Guardian is based on General Atomics Aeronautical Systems' MQ-9B, which is on order or operating for a growing list of international defence and security forces. General Atomics Aeronautical Systems completed a flight test on July 27 of its MQ-9B RPA with a SoftBank-developed disaster relief communications pod, FinanzNachrichten.de reported.

"This contract brings together Canadian industry and academic expertise to support the development of an important sovereign capability for the RCAF's RPAS project," said Joe Armstrong, President of 49North. "By partnering with TerraSense, UBC's STAR Initiative and KF Aerospace, we are drawing on Canadian innovation and operational expertise to deliver for the Canadian Armed Forces while strengthening Canada's domestic defence ecosystem."

49North's Earlier General Atomics Work

According to akta.pro company records, General Atomics awarded 49North a $3.7 million CAD contract in June 2026 to design, build, integrate, and test the Coalition Shared Database for Canada's Remotely Piloted Aircraft System program, adding to the broader $74.4 million RPAS contract to deliver 11 CQ-9B Guardian aircraft to the Royal Canadian Air Force by 2028. The same records show 49North secured a US$43 million USAF IDIQ renewal through the Canadian Commercial Corporation for its Global Procedure Designer software through June 2031, with approximately US$4.7 million in initial FY2026 funding.

Deliveries Targeted for 2028

Team SkyGuardian Canada is working to deliver 11 CQ-9B Guardian aircraft to the Royal Canadian Air Force by 2028, the timeline 49North set out for the RPAS project.