Plan Qulliq’s first Innovation Lab takes flight

March 4, 2026 – Royal Canadian Air Force

Estimated read time – 2:01

The room that became the home of the new Plan Qulliq (PQ) Innovation Lab holds a long history of supporting the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) in various aerospace and telecommunications engineering capabilities. Over time, it evolved into a shared storage and overflow space—a quiet corner of the wing awaiting its next mission. To the RCAF Innovation Team, this room represented a rare opportunity: a blank canvas with the flexibility to be thoughtfully reimagined for a new era of innovation.

The road from idea to execution can sometimes be slow and winding, so the PQ team, led by Lieutenant-Colonel (LCol) Diane Baldasaro, decided to operate on a different timeline. They didn’t wait for a perfect grand plan to get moving. Instead, they embraced an agile mindset: start small, move fast, and deliver a Minimum Viable Product (MVP) that members could use.

It was a simple vision: to turn an available space into a modern makerspace where hidden RCAF innovators would finally have a home. The transition happened in a blur. Starting in October 2025 the dust was cleared, the walls received a fresh coat of paint, and new flooring was laid. The room was quickly filled with 3D printers, a soldering station, non-networked laptops, and even a sewing machine.

"We didn’t wait for a perfect plan; we saw an opportunity and went for it," says Sergeant Erik Niemi, one of the lab directors. "The goal was to minimize the barriers to entry. We wanted a space where an aviator could walk in with an idea and start creating the same day."

The lab officially opened its doors on February 25, 2026. Its rapid stand-up was made possible by the collaborative spirit at Aerospace and Telecommunications Engineering Supporting Squadron (ATESS) where the lab is co-located. ATESS Commanding Officer, LCol Barry Tang and his team shared the vision that an available room held the potential for immense good. By working together, PQ and ATESS focused on the needs of the Defence Team, proving change can happen when prioritized.

The result is a sandbox for creative solutions. It is a place where failure is embraced as a necessary step in the learning process. "We aim to demonstrate that accelerating an innovative culture is possible when we act with agility and intentionally unlock the value within our people," says LCol Baldasaro.

While this lab, located at Canadian Forces Base Trenton, is a victory on its own, PQ isn't stopping there. This space is more than just a room – it’s a blueprint. As an MVP, this lab allows PQ to test which equipment works best, what training is most effective, and how members interact with the space. The value realized here will be used to refine the makerspace model as PQ aims to scale this concept across all RCAF wings from coast to coast.