KINGSTON, Ont. — Canadian robotics firms want a chunk of the federal government’s blockbuster defence spending plans and have begun pitching their industrial machines to prepare and equip soldiers and sailors.

The firms say their technology, designed for civilian work in sectors like logistics or energy generation, is also repurposable for similar tasks in military settings.

Military commanders are interested in robots that enhance their personnel, or reduce the risk to them, said retired Lt.-Gen. Frances Allen, the former vice-chief of the defence staff, speaking at the Canadian Robotics Council symposium in Kingston, Ont., earlier this month. She cited exoskeletons that can make soldiers stronger in dangerous environments and machines that can sub in for them to conduct surveillance in remote areas.

One company already seeing more interest from the defence industry is Burnaby, B.C.-based Cellula Robotics. The firm has long built autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) for clients in energy and scientific fields. Its subsea drones can survey the ocean floor for minerals and help identify sites for oil rigs and wind turbines. They can also monitor pipelines and other infrastructure, and track fish and ships. 

“We’re getting a lot of interest from navies,” said Cellula president Eric Jackson; the firm’s AUVs can be used to place seafloor nodes that listen for whales, seismic activity or vessels. Defence Research and Development Canada (DRDC) has funded the firm to build hydrogen-powered versions of its AUVs, which have longer range. Cellula’s drones could also conduct underwater surveillance, spot and identify submarines, and drop or clear mines. 

Other robotics firms are also looking to repurpose their machines for armies and navies. “You’re really solving for the same thing, which is typically labour shortages [and] productivity,” said Philip Smith, CFO of Sanctuary AI. The Vancouver-based startup is developing humanoid robots that can carry out many different kinds of tasks, starting with warehouse work.

The Liberal government has pledged to significantly increase defence spending, and to do it quickly. Ottawa plans to spend an additional $9 billion this year alone, with almost $2.7 billion of that on developing industrial capabilities and adopting digital technologies. It’s also committed to meet the new NATO target of spending five per cent of gross domestic product on defence and security by 2035.

The federal government plans to spend big on new fighter aircraft, submarines and other large-scale equipment. That’s one way to quickly deploy a lot of money, but planes and ships typically take a long time to arrive, according to Jackson, who said cheaper robots can do some of the same tasks today. 

Cellula’s drones, for example, cost between $5 million and $20 million. Jackson claimed a swarm of them could track enemy ships on the other side of the world just as effectively as a $10-billion submarine. 

Smaller Canadian firms face major challenges getting into the defence business. “It’s very difficult to depend on any kind of government contracts,” said Jackson, citing slow procurement processes and long wait times between projects. 

Robotics firms also need larger-scale production capacity in Canada. Cellula has partnered with a U.S. firm to make Cellula’s AUVs for the U.S. market, although it hasn’t begun production yet. Jackson said some European clients don’t want to buy American-made equipment right now. “We’re having to get serious about manufacturing,” he said. 

To meet the Armed Forces’ needs, Canada must continue buying from foreign suppliers, according to Allen. But in the long term, she said, Ottawa’s defence industrial strategy should try to build the capacity to produce more military hardware at home.

Firms making dual-use products will still need to find export markets; while Canada is boosting defence spending, it won’t be enough on its own to sustain a whole new industrial base. The Armed Forces could also help make the case for Canadian-made equipment to other potential buyers around the world, Allen said. “If it’s a really good product and we like it, why would the military actually not speak to allies about [it]?”

Companies will also need to respond to public concerns about military use of such technology. Autonomous weapons “creep people out,” said Brent Barron, chief of staff for artificial intelligence at the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research. But, he argues, people are more likely to see the benefits of robots employed in remote sensing, logistics and other defence uses. “That’s where most of our dual-use stuff is going—things that help to secure the country, not just putting a gun on a robot,” he said.

Update: This story has been updated with more details of Cellula Robotics’ dual-use technology and manufacturing.