Applicant Guide for the Counter Uncrewed Aerial Systems (CUAS) Sandbox 2025 (Urban)

November 24-28, 2025
Ottawa Ontario

Seeking CUAS solutions that can detect Micro and Mini Uncrewed Aerial Systems (UAS) in an urban environment with systems that can be integrated into the broader military command and control systems.

Threat drones are evolving, and we need continual advancement in solutions to counter them.

CUAS 2025 (Urban)
Due to the importance of CUAS, the Department of National Defence (DND) and Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) have multiple CUAS activities underway. Companies who have applied to or been accepted under a different CUAS activity are eligible to apply to CUAS 2025 (Urban). The selection process will consider the implications between different activities. See page 2 for details.

Please note that in the event of any discrepancy between the information in the downloadable documents and the IDEaS website, the downloadable documents take precedence unless otherwise indicated.

CUAS 2025 (Urban) eligibility and how to apply

Eligibility for an IDEaS Sandbox - Who can apply?

Applications are open to individuals, academia, not for profit organizations, and industry of any size, as well as provincial, territorial, and municipal organizations.

Federal government departments/agencies, and federal Crown Corporations are not eligible to submit applications to this Call for Applications (CFA).

Foreign companies can apply – in previous Sandboxes as much as 50% of the selected companies were from outside Canada. Sandboxes are not exclusively restricted to made in Canada products/solutions; however, the level of Canadian content within each application will be given consideration during the strategic selection process.

Eligibility and the Canadian “Policy on sensitive technology research and affiliations of concern”

On February 14, 2023, the federal government announced its intent to further protect Canada’s research, its institutions, and its intellectual property by announcing that Canada would adopt an enhanced posture regarding Canada’s research security.

While the policy focuses on grants and funding with universities and research institutions, the IDEaS program utilizes the policy and its tools of Sensitive Technology Research Areas and Named Research Organizations to ensure that companies selected to participate in the sandbox meet the spirit of that policy with its two-step validation process summarized below. Companies that do not meet this requirement may not be eligible to attend the sandbox.

Note that in the sandbox application form, “Section 9: Terms and Conditions of Applying to and Participating in the Sandbox”, applicants are asked to make a proactive statement about all affiliations with any of the Named Research Organizations.

In a practical sense, aside from answering the question in Section 9 of the application form, implementing this security validation is only done on the companies after they are provisionally selected to attend the sandbox, and as will be detailed in their acceptance letter.

Step 1: Determine if the selected solution’s technology advances any sensitive technology research area.

• If the proposed solution will not aim to advance any of the listed Sensitive Technology Research Areas, no further steps are required under this policy. Solutions that will merely use an existing technology are not included in this policy.

• If the proposed solution will aim to advance any of the listed sensitive technology research areas, companies must attest that they are not affiliated with, or in receipt of funding or in-kind support, from any of the institutions on the list of Named Research Organizations.

Step 2: Check sandbox participants affiliations

All companies selected to attend the sandbox must review the list of Named Research Organizations. If a company is affiliated with, or in receipt of funding or in-kind support, from one or more of the institutions on the list of Named Research Organizations, they may be required to terminate those connections in order to continue as a participant in the sandbox.

Can technologies that applied to or were accepted into other DND/CAF CUAS projects apply to CUAS 2025 (Urban)?

The importance of CUAS is resulting in multiple overlapping DND/CAF sponsored CUAS activities that may or may not be under the IDEaS program.

Companies who have applied to or been accepted under a different DND/CAF CUAS activity are eligible to apply to the CUAS 2025 sandbox with those or other technologies, noting that:

• Section 9 of the Sandbox Application form requires all companies to declare all prior or ongoing demonstrations of their technology or variants of it to DND/CAF. This includes the space to describe what change(s) have been made to a technology since all prior demonstrations, making a case for why DND/CAF should select it to see it again at the sandbox.
• No selection advantage is given based solely on the fact a company was or was not selected for another CUAS activity.
• Other CUAS activities may already include opportunities for demonstrations to DND/CAF without the sandbox. On a case-by-case basis that factor, and any results, will be considered in our selection decisions for CUAS 2025 (Urban).

Technology readiness level (TRL).

IDEaS need to ensure that solutions are ready for the near-end state demonstrations and testing in a simulated environment that DND/CAF expects in a Sandbox. To learn more about the Technology Readiness Levels: Technology readiness levels (TRLs) - Canada.ca.

At a minimum, at the time of application your solution must have

• already successfully completed the work and validation testing associated with TRL 5, “Validation - refined integration of applications and/or concepts to confirm validity.”

or

• already successfully completed the work and validation testing associated with TRL 4, “Proof of concept - basic integration of applications and/or concepts to demonstrate viability”; and
• include is a reasonable plan with your application to complete TRL 5 prior to August 28, 2025.

Failure to achieve TRL 5 by that date may constitute grounds for any sandbox offer to be rescinded. The letter of provisional acceptance into the sandbox will detail the ways and means to demonstrate compliance with this TRL 5 requirement.

How to apply

When will I be told if I am selected to attend the Sandbox?

You will be notified by email of your evaluation results and selection status approximately four to eight weeks after the CFA closes. The selected applicants will have five business days to accept their invitation. This will give several months or pre-Sandbox notification and preparation.

Should a selected applicant not accept their invitation, or withdraws their acceptance, or is removed from the Sandbox process, additional offers to other applicants may be made under the same selection process at DND/CAF’s discretion and providing sufficient time is available before the Sandbox commences.

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CUAS Sandbox description

Overview

Successful applicants will be invited to demonstrate their solutions to this CUAS urban challenge in Ottawa Ontario, November 24-28, 2025. Canada will provide a well-equipped and fully staffed test environment specifically designed for that challenge with such things as airborne targets, imagery, data collection, and operational scenarios, as well as work and storage space, security, etc.

Up to five days of testing will be provided to each company selected, with space for 16 companies concurrently. The precise details of the sandbox may be adjusted depending on the technologies selected to attend. Up to $20,000 in funding per company to offset your costs of attending the sandbox and additional monetary prizes for promising technologies will be available.

We also provide on-site military, Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), US Department of Defence (IWTSD) and DND/CAF science experts, as well as other government safety and security potential users, to give innovators observational feedback on their solutions.

There are no fees to the innovator for using the Sandbox.

Innovators operate their own prototypes for their desired test and demonstration plan, receiving on-site immediate feedback from our end-users. It is not a Contest with multiple innovators publicly competing and an isolated panel of judges. Instead, we are seeking proactive continuous one-on-one engagement.

Collectively, this CUAS Sandbox provides a venue for:

• Innovators to refine and develop their prototype during and after the Sandbox, including iterative testing and on-site improvement while concurrently receiving direct feedback from DND/CAF/RCMP/IWTSD.
• DND/CAF/RCMP/IWTSD personnel to learn about the state of possible future upcoming solutions to the challenge, potentially influencing future DND/CAF acquisition decisions.
• Selected allied military and security partners to DND/CAF may also be present, expanding the exposure an innovator may receive during and after the Sandbox.
• Interaction and discussion with others in the field of work.

How does the Sandbox process work in general?

• The CFA is usually published six-nine months in advance of the Sandbox.
• An evaluation and selection process determines which innovators are accepted.
• After selection, DND/CAF/RCMP and the selected innovators complete their pre-Sandbox preparations, shipping, and travel to attend the Sandbox.
• The Sandbox is conducted.
• Post-Sandbox reporting and administration with each innovator is completed.

What’s provided in the Sandbox?

DND/CAF will provide the following at no cost to the participants:

• Four types of test locations are anticipated, understanding that these may be adjusted depending on the technologies selected to attend (see the section on safety and privacy below):
  • Ground level, Mid-level balcony on a high-rise building, High-level balcony on a high-rise building, and Rooftop.
  • If your technology is something that requires a different test location, please include that in Section 6 of your Application Form, and in your submitted Test Plan.
• Various UAS targets operated by our Red Team, representative of those encountered in the operational scenarios.
• Successful applicants are expected to demonstrate their technology’s ability to detect and track the Red Team.
• Iterative testing and demonstration to improve your technology.
• Feedback from DND/CAF/RCMP/IWTSD to customize and adjust your test plan on the fly.
• A test area of suitable boundaries and airspace control for the planned activities including the operation of the red team drones and limited electronic signals. Precise details and sizes will depend on the proposed solutions that are selected for the Sandbox, commensurate with safety, environmental, and other considerations. Lockup facilities for each participant’s equipment.
• Office space to work including phones, and WIFI.
• Data collection equipment if feasible and subject to the type of solution.
• Limited photography/video services.
• DND/CAF/RCMP/IWTSD will provide observers for each test. Participants will receive all test data, photographic and video imagery, as well as any pertinent feedback, for their solution, subject to any security classifications and approvals that may arise.
• Lunches and coffee breaks.
• If requested in Section 6 of the Application Form, additional resources may be made available at DND/CAF’s sole discretion on a case-by-case basis.

Safety of the demonstrations and privacy considerations for the general public

As the sandbox is intended to be conducted in an open and active urban centre, (as opposed to an isolated and closed test range), there will be additional scrutiny and validation to ensure that the demonstrations are conducted in a safe manner and that the detectors used are selected and operated with appropriate considerations for bystander privacy. For example, optical systems may require a unique test area or operating restrictions to ensure bystander privacy is maintained.

Any such restrictions are impossible to detail in advance as they will be dependent on the technology selected. Section 6 of the Application Form, “Test Plan, Hazards and Limitations”, provides additional detail on how this will be considered during the application and selection process.

What happens during the Sandbox itself?

Selected innovators are given up to five days of testing time at the Sandbox. Applicants can indicate their preferred dates to attend in the Application Form; however, the precise dates given to each participant are at DND/CAF’s sole discretion and are non-negotiable.

Innovator demonstrations are isolated from each other to protect intellectual property and prototype performance.

Our military, RCMP, IWTSD and DND end-user and science experts interact with each innovator during your testing, including daily debriefs and a final debrief upon completion of your testing.

The Sandbox Red Team will fly representative UAS threats and operating scenarios to be demonstrated against, adjusting based on the capability of each CUAS system.

The Test Plan template contains a more detailed description of the likely scenarios that will be available. Final test plans will be designed through consultation with the selected participants to exhibit the capabilities and explore the limitations related to each technology. Actual target UAS will be subject to change based on availability.

Data collected from the target UAS and participant countermeasures will allow the calculation of range, accuracy, and time, to be used as performance outputs and reports for both the DND/CAF, as well as the participant. Participants only see demonstrations, results, and reports of their own technology.

What’s the Sandbox schedule for a specific participant?

A detailed schedule will be developed with each selected participant prior to the Sandbox, based on the following expectations:

• Arrive at your hotel prior to Day 1.
• Workdays will be 8 am to 6 pm (to be confirmed).
• Day 1 will entail suitable in-briefs, unpacking, and calibration.
• Demonstrations may commence on Day 1 if time permits.
• Lunch/breaks will be provided on-site to maximize testing time.
• Securing of all equipment will be completed prior to departure each day.
• Days 2, 3, 4, and 5 (if used) conducted as per the RCMP/DND/CAF approved Test plan.
• Final day:
  • All tests will be concluded by 12 pm.
  • A verbal out-brief by the Sandbox SMEs will be conducted with the participant. Provision of test data and written information will follow later.
  • A full pack up and departure of the participant’s materiel and personnel must be completed by 4 pm of that day.
• Departure date/time after the Sandbox is at the participant’s discretion.

Can nighttime testing be done?

CUAS 2025 Urban will be primarily conducted during daylight hours and that is the expectation with each company selected. It is unlikely that night-time demonstrations will be possible due to the regulatory requirements and risks of flying red team target drones in a downtown setting at night.

However, once a company is selected, we are open to considering portions of their Sandbox time at night within the following post-selection process and considerations:

• Companies should assume that night testing is unlikely to be approved.
• If desired, companies can indicate a desire for night testing on their test plan submitted at the time of application.
• There must be a substantive testing benefit and technology difference between testing in day versus night conditions such that the extra effort and resources for nighttime testing is of sufficient value and worthwhile.
• If the results of daytime testing can be sufficiently inferred to how a system would perform at night, nighttime testing will generally not be supported.
• Notionally, but subject to negotiation, if night testing is conducted:
  • There would likely be no daytime testing that day as the Sandbox staff for that test site will work a night shift instead.
  • It may be at a different location in Ottawa to mitigate Red Team technical/safety risks.
  • The work period would be approximately 16:00 hours to 23:59 hours (sunset is at 16:45 hours).
• Details of the above would be considered after initial selection and pre-Sandbox. Canada will make all reasonable efforts to accommodate the request where possible. Note that this may include the advantages, disadvantages, and interdependencies of having multiple test sites concurrently done at night or not.
• Canada retains the authority to determine final approval to proceed or not with nighttime testing at its sole discretion.

Pre-test date “On-deck” unpack and setup?

The transportation, unpack, and setup of technologies at the Sandbox varies greatly. As the actual test time on the range is of high value, some previous companies have asked for additional unpack and setup dates before their starting date on the range. This is usually not possible as the test range is still occupied by the previous company who need to pack and leave before the next company can unpack which is the normal sequence of events we expect.

However, after a company is selected to attend the Sandbox, Canada is open to discussing reasonable requests for additional time and space to unpack technologies prior to the Sandbox test day #1:

• If doing so will save a significant amount of setup time on Day 1.
• It can be done on a non-interference basis with other companies.
• If the unpack is done at a location other than the actual test site, final movement to the actual test site is viable without compromising the pre-setup advantages achieved.
• The unpack and any validation/calibration can be accommodated in a safe and acceptable manner at the pre-test location.
• Requests will generally be limited to systems that were disassembled for shipping and need to be reassembled and are easily moved to the actual test range (for example, vehicle mounted systems).
• Systems that are smaller or have mechanically independent components that are connected by cables once on the test range (such as multiple sensors on tripods that will have to be re-packed again anyway) are less likely to be accommodated.

Canada will make a reasonable effort to accommodate all such requests; however, it is on a case-by case basis and Canada retains the sole discretion to agree or not to any pre-test date unpack and setup.

CUAS 2025 (Urban) “Diamond in the rough” Prizes (see Annex C for details)

The Diamond in the Rough prizes are awarded for CUAS innovations tracking towards success with good growth potential and impact to receive financial non-repayable grants. With consideration to the potential and impact, prizes will be awarded for up to the following notional amounts. Final prize amounts will be established to align with the developmental potential of the selected technologies:

• 1st Place $1,000,000
• 2nd Place $500,000
• 3rd Place $250,000

Please refer to Annex C for the detailed description, criteria, and selection processes.

What happens after a Sandbox?

After the Sandbox is concluded a written report will be provided to each participant documenting the observations from DND/CAF on only the participant’s solution.

RCMP/DND/CAF will internally consider the observations they made at the Sandbox to monitor any progression towards solving the specific challenge and how that may or may not influence further force development planning, procurement, priorities, and other considerations internal to IDEaS and across DND/CAF.

Attendance at a Sandbox, or even successful demonstrations within the Sandbox, does not imply any intent or commitment that RCMP/DND/CAF will undertake any further activity with any solution or organization. It is completely up to the participant what they do with the information learned during the Sandbox.

Will there be another CUAS Urban Sandbox after 2025?

Other sandboxes such as CUAS 2026 for the full CUAS challenge are already in progress. The requirement to conduct another urban specific CUAS sandbox will be considered after CUAS 2025 (Urban) is completed.

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Criteria

Sandbox criteria vs end-state operational requirements: The criteria used for this Sandbox represent the limitations and desired characteristics in order to prioritize and select the accepted participants to the Sandbox only. They do not represent final operational requirements for any current or future DND/CAF procurement program which may be quite different.

What are the criteria and how are they scored?

• The multiple choice/short answer questions on the Application Form are used for describing your solution and evaluating your application to attend the Sandbox. Many of the questions are for descriptive purposes only and are not criteria and are not scored. Those that are scored and used as criteria are clearly marked as such, including its specific scoring metrics.
• The evaluation method and total score calculations are explained on Page 4 of the form.
• The list of the technical criteria and their relative weighting factors is on Page 5 of the form.
• A solution that does not achieve a PASS on all mandatory criteria in Section 1 of the form will not proceed further in the evaluation process and will not be selected to attend the sandbox.

Solution categories

Our other CUAS sandboxes were for the full CUAS challenge and included the categories of “Detect only”, “Defeat only”, and “Detect and Defeat”.

For regulatory and other safety reasons, CUAS 2025 (Urban) does not permit the demonstration of defeating target drones in an urban environment.

Consequently, even if a defeat component is available within an applicant’s submitted technology, only the demonstrations from a detection perspective are being considered.

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Selection

Acceptance into the pool of qualified applications

Following the evaluation of all technical criteria, applications that that meet the eligibility requirements described earlier and achieve a “Pass” on all mandatory criteria and all minimum mandatory scores (if any) are placed into the pool of qualified applications. There is no minimum overall score required.

Read the Criteria section for a full description of all criteria and how they are scored. Acceptance into the pool of qualified applications does not constitute an invitation to participate in the Sandbox. Applications that do not qualify for the pool will not receive any further consideration for attending the Sandbox.

Science and technology risk assessment

• In seeking innovative solutions, the IDEaS program is open to high-risk untested solutions, provided such solutions come with reasonable substantiation and a high impact to addressing the challenge at hand. High risk without high reward is of less interest.
• For CUAS 2025 (Urban), once a technology is identified for potential selection the evaluation/selection team will consider the need for a full and formal science and technology risk assessment of the solution.
  • If the selection decision is not in doubt regardless of the risk, no further risk assessment is required, and the selection can continue.
  • If the selection decision is in doubt due to the risk, a full risk assessment may be conducted as described at Annex B and the outcome will be incorporated into the final selection decisions.

Selection of the Sandbox participants from the pool of qualified applications

• All qualified applications in the pool will proceed to be considered against the standardized IDEaS Strategic Selection Parameters (SSP) as described here.
• Applicants do not provide any additional information to respond to these parameters. They only provide the information as described in the Application Form.
• Selection of the applications is at the sole direction of the Challenge Steering Committee. Applications that achieve a full technical score are not guaranteed selection for participating in the Sandbox.
• The committee will consider the evaluation results of the applications and examine the distribution of selections against the following parameters, listed below in no order:
  • Alignment with priorities – Aligns with current and emerging departmental and/or Government of Canada priorities.
  • Alignment with RCMP/DND/CAF – Aligns and integrates within the RCMP/DND/CAF, i.e., the solution integrates with departmental military systems, doctrines, standard operating practices.
  • Operational investment – Considered worthwhile for investing operational resources (e.g., personnel, equipment, data, budget, etc.) to implement the solution.
  • Distinction of solution – Does not duplicate previous/existing/planned work of Canada and its Allies known at the time of evaluation.
  • Strength and risk of Application – The strength of an individual application and the related risk, represented by:
    • The solution’s point rated scores as described in the Application form, including the cumulative score and scoring on individual criteria; and
    • The risk assessment as described above, including Annex B if applicable.
  • Impact – The application’s potential to be a disruptor in the field of the Challenge and/or S&T domain.
  • Type of solution – Allows DND/CAF to select a balance across solution categories, methodologies, and various applicable military environments.
  • Industrial and Socio-Economic benefits to Canada.

Companies with multiple applications

The guiding intent is that a company gets a single demonstration period at the Sandbox, even if they submit multiple applications for different technologies. To achieve this effect all applications a single company submits will initially be evaluated and considered for selection independently; however, once any one of those applications is selected:

• All other applications from that company will be disregarded until such time as all other applications from all other companies have been considered.
• Unless an exemption is made based on the Strategic Selection Parameters, the demonstration period for the company will not exceed the already established five days maximum for any single participant, and only with time permitting and subject to DND/CAF’s approval, demonstrations of the company’s other technologies may be permitted.

Multiple submissions from one applicant are permitted, provided the solutions are thoroughly different from each other and not simply a variation of the same method or technology. Each solution must be submitted with its own complete application package. The determination of the degree of difference and acceptability of each additional submission shall be at the sole discretion of DND/CAF.

After a company is selected and invited to attend the Sandbox for a specific technology, it will be allocated several Sandbox days to conduct its demonstration. If the company submitted multiple applications, it may be permitted, to bring its other technologies for additional demonstrations but without any increase in total Sandbox days. Permitting such additional demonstrations shall be at the sole discretion of Canada.

Invitation and acceptance

The selected applicants will receive a formal letter of invitation via email to participate in the Sandbox and will then have five business days to accept the invitation and any supplemental terms and conditions it may include. Note that:

• The basic terms and conditions for attending each Sandbox are specified in Section 9 of the Application Form.
• Additional supplemental terms and conditions may be imposed because of the evaluation of an individual application. For example, there may be a special safety protocol imposed due to the nature of an applicant’s solution and the desired testing/demonstration.

Should a selected applicant not accept their invitation, or withdraws their acceptance, or is removed from the Sandbox, additional offers to other applicants may be made under the same selection process at DND/CAF’s discretion and providing sufficient time is available before the Sandbox commences.

Technology demonstrated and any substitutions

Once a company has accepted their invitation the company is expected to focus on and first demonstrate the technology they were selected for, even if additional demonstrations of other technologies are included. If the selected technology in whole or part is no longer being demonstrated at the sandbox, the company must advise Canada of such changes in advance of the sandbox, the reasons, and any proposed substitutions or mitigations. At Canada’s sole discretion, the offer to participate in the sandbox may be rescinded. This is to ensure that there continues to be a demonstration of sufficient value to Canada.

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Test Plans

Effective and efficient use of the Sandbox is enabled when the proposed demonstrations and testing are:

• Collaboratively optimized between RCMP/DND/CAF and the participant attending the Sandbox.
• Safely possible within the Sandbox’s environment and provided resources.
• Relevant to the challenge; and
• Of interest to RCMP/DND/CAF.

To enable that determination each applicant must submit their completed Test Plan Template as part of their application:

1. The Test Plan Template includes detailed instructions on any constraints and restraints for developing a proposed plan.
2. The Test Plan will be evaluated as a Pass/Fail criteria, as per Section 6 of the Application Form.
3. RCMP/DND/CAF will be the sole authority for final approval of the participant’s test plans:
   • If portions of a proposed test plan are not acceptable to RCMP/DND/CAF, the offer of acceptance to attend the Sandbox may impose changes to the test plan that the participant must accept if they agree to attend the Sandbox. 
   • After a participant is selected, additional refinement and detailed scheduling of the proposed test plan may occur to optimize use of the Sandbox for each participant. Such changes will remain within the overall intent of the original plan.
   • Final approval of all test plans will be at the sole discretion of RCMP/DND/CAF.

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Responsibilities

• Read and accept all Terms and Conditions in Section 9 of the Application Form.
• It is emphasized that participants agree to abide by all reasonable safety and security protocols that may be imposed during the Sandbox. Participants are responsible to ensure they and their equipment meet and follow all entry or transit requirements imposed by all applicable authorities for their itinerary to arrive at the Sandbox location ready to commence their demonstrations on schedule.
• Participants are responsible for arranging all transportation, shipping, food (except lunch at the Sandbox site), and lodging of all their equipment and personnel to, from, and during the Sandbox.
• Participants are responsible for all maintenance, tools, parts, and technical support required for their solution during the Sandbox.
• Participants are to complete all tasks as per Section 9 of the Application Form.
  • Tasks to be completed prior to the Sandbox (administration and planning).
  • Tasks to be completed at the Sandbox (safety and demonstrations).
  • Tasks to be completed after the Sandbox (administration).
• Refinement of these generic tasks will occur with each participant after acceptance to attend the Sandbox is confirmed.
• Failure by the participant to complete any task on schedule constitutes grounds for removing the participant from attendance at the Sandbox.

DND/CAF will be responsible for all pre-Sandbox coordination with the participants, the provision and functioning of the Sandbox, and the post-Sandbox administration. Note that much of this is conducted by the DND/CAF contractor for organizing the Sandbox events. Participants can expect to be contacted by the contractor after accepting an invitation.

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Funds

Funding provided for travel, accommodations, living, shipping, and consumables

RCMP/DND/CAF is providing the test environment at no cost to participants; however, RCMP/DND/CAF recognizes there are costs incurred by participants to attend the Sandbox. Funding is provided via one of two administrative methods:

• For companies incorporated in Canada, a government grant of $20,000 CDN will be given, regardless of actual costs.
• For companies not incorporated in Canada:
  • IDEaS is not authorized to issue grants to such companies. Instead, such companies will receive a contract up to a maximum of $20,000 CDN supported by receipts for only the following types of expenses:
    • Travel, accommodation, and living expenses. The National Joint Council Travel Directive will apply for any travel, accommodation and living expenses.
    • Shipping and transportation expenses of equipment to/from the Sandbox location and the company’s location.
  • If such costs are less than $20,000 CDN, the lesser amount will be paid.
  • All other costs (such as but not limited to parts, maintenance, wages, etc.) are not reimbursable.

To be eligible to receive this funding the participant must:

• Attend the sandbox and complete their demonstrations. This does not mean that the technology must be successful in its demonstrations. It simply means that the company showed up and actively participated in demonstrating their technology.
• Complete and submit the post-sandbox Participant Feedback Questionnaire.

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Miscellaneous

Helpful definitions

Innovators: The innovation community at large.

Applicants: Those innovators that complete and apply to a specific Sandbox when it is offered.

Applications: The information form(s) submitted by an applicant for a specific Sandbox.

Participants: Applicants who have been selected, received, and accepted a confirmed invitation to attend an actual Sandbox. Note that a participant is the organization and may send multiple personnel to a Sandbox.

Test environment: The physical or virtual environment in which demonstrations are conducted. 

Technology readiness levels (TRLs)

• TRL 1: Identification—basic principles and/or properties are observed.
• TRL 2: Definition—practical applications and/or concepts are formulated.
• TRL 3: Observation and Analysis—analytical and/or laboratory research and/or experiments are undertaken.
• TRL 4: Proof of Concept—basic integration of applications and/or concepts to demonstrate viability.
• TRL 5: Validation—refined integration of applications and/or concepts to confirm validity.
• TRL 6: Simulated Demonstration—near-end state solution is demonstrated and tested in a simulated environment.
• TRL 7: Real-World Demonstration—near-end state solution is demonstrated and tested in an appropriate real-world environment.
• TRL 8: Qualified Solution—end state solution is completed and refined through testing.
• TRL 9: Proven Solution—final solution is implemented and proven successful.

Intellectual property 

The participant retains full ownership and control of the solution being demonstrated and its intellectual property. See additional detail on the IDEaS FAQ page.

Security requirements

A formal security clearance to participate in the Sandbox may be required. Participants will always be under appropriate escort while on DND/CAF property.

Access to the Sandbox test site may impose certain physical, communication, and electronic restrictions on participants which will be detailed prior to the participants arrival at the Sandbox.

Participants will need to provide lists and descriptions of all personnel and equipment being brought to the Sandbox for security screening purposes. The following information will be required once a participant is selected:

• Copies of passports and birth certificates.; and
• Visit Clearance Requests.

Participants will need to permit security verifications and background information on their personnel that attend the Sandbox. If the security process reveals that a particular person(s) will not be permitted to attend the Sandbox, discussions, alternatives, and mitigations will be discussed with the participant to try and resolve the issue(s). If the issues cannot be resolved, the invitation to attend the Sandbox may be withdrawn.

Security screening criteria will depend on, in part by innovator residence and proposed Sandbox venue.

For any participants whose proposed solution includes controlled goods (see section below), additional security aspects may be imposed, if necessary, on a case-by-case basis.

Controlled goods

The participant must identify any Controlled Goods used in its proposed solution to the DND/CAF. Controlled Goods are defined in the Defence Production Act and the Controlled Goods List is contained in the Schedule (section 35) of the Act.

If Controlled Goods are used in the proposed solution, participants must identify and confirm that they are registered in the Controlled Goods Program with Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) or are excluded or exempt from registration in the Controlled Goods Program with an explanation therefor.

Visit the Controlled Goods Program website for more information.

Insurance

‘’The contractor must obtain Commercial General Liability Insurance and maintain it in force throughout the duration of the Contract, in an amount usual for a contract of this nature, but for not less than $10,000,000 per accident or occurrence and in the annual aggregate.’’

Options to determine applicable limits of insurance being requested when applying the Treasury Board Policy on Limiting Contractor’s Liability in Crown Procurement Contracts are:

1. In all cases for limitations of liability equal to or less than $2 million, CGL insurance required of contractors shall be a minimum of $2 million per accident or occurrence.
2. In all cases for limitations of liability greater than $2 million but less than or equal to $10 million, CGL insurance required of contractors shall be a minimum of $5 million per accident or occurrence.
3. In all cases for limitations of liability greater than $10 million but less than or equal to $20 million, CGL insurance required of contractors shall be a minimum of $10 million per accident or occurrence.

In all cases where limitations of liability exceed $20 million, refer to Risk Management Advisory Services.

Liability

The participant is liable for any damage caused by the participant, its employees, subcontractors, or agents to Canada or any third party. Canada is liable for any damage caused by Canada, its employees or agents to the participant or any third party. Canada and the participant agree that no limitation of liability or indemnity provision applies to this CFA unless it is specifically incorporated in full text in this CFA. Damage includes any injury to persons (including injury resulting in death) or loss of or damage to property (including real property) caused because of or during the performance of the Sandbox. RCMP/DND/CAF has no responsibility for maintenance, repair, loss, or damage to any participant’s materiel or equipment during or because of the Sandbox. Subject to Section 9, participants are fully responsible for insuring their own personnel, equipment, and activities at their discretion.

Language

Responses and consultations are to be provided in one of the two official languages of Canada (English or French).

Additional notes to applicants

Access to Information: All applicant consultations are documented, and this information is subject to the Access to Information Act. Applicants should identify any submitted information that is to be considered as either company confidential or proprietary. DND/CAF will not reveal any designated confidential or proprietary information to public and/or third parties, except for independent consultant(s) who may participate in the CFA process.

Participants will be asked to fill out the IDEaS Photo and Video Release Form for Individuals and the IDEaS Photo and Video Release Form for Entities before the start of their Sandbox participation.

IDEaS program Surveys: As a condition of the program, participants are required to respond to short surveys from IDEaS for up to two years following the completion of the Sandbox event. The results of the surveys will feed into the measurement of performance indicators through the reporting requirements of the IDEaS program.

Public Affairs / Communication notification: The Government of Canada retains the right to make primary Sandbox announcements. Canada and the participant shall consult with each other, after the Sandbox selection, about all proposed news releases or public announcements relating to the Sandbox. This is to provide all parties sufficient notice of key Sandbox communications, and, where appropriate, the time to determine a course of action (including a mutually agreed date and location), line up representatives and prepare joint material. Notwithstanding the advance notice requirement, consent shall not be unreasonably withheld by either Party if a news release or public announcement must be issued in less than 15 working days as the result of unforeseeable circumstances, including matters of public safety or where an emergency response is required.

Enquiries

All enquiries and other communications related to this CFA must be directed exclusively to the CFA authority identified in the following section.

CFA authority

Tom Hughes
Manager – Innovation Exploitation
Department of National Defence, Defence Research and Development Canada
Innovation for Defence Excellence and Security Program (IDEaS)
Email: IDEaSSandboxes-EnvironnementsprotegesIDEeS@forces.gc.ca

Annexes:

Annex A – CUAS 2025 Urban Sandbox challenge

Annex B – CUAS evaluation of scientific and technical risk

Annex C – CUAS 2025 (Urban) Sandbox “Diamond in the Rough” prizes

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Annex A – CUAS 2025 (Urban) Sandbox challenge

Disclaimer: Challenge requirements vs end-state operational requirements. Please note that the descriptions, characteristics, and criteria used for this challenge represent the limitations and desired characteristics to prioritize and select the IDEaS accepted solutions for the sandbox. They do not represent final operational requirements for any current or future procurement program.

Challenge statement

The DND/CAF and its defence and security partners (RCMP, Public Safety, etc.) are seeking CUAS solutions that can detect Micro and Mini UAS in an urban environment with systems that can be integrated into the broader military command and control systems.

Note that the overall CUAS challenge includes both detecting and defeating UAS in all environments (not just urban); however, for regulatory and other safety reasons CUAS 2025 (Urban) does not permit the demonstration of defeating target drones in the Ottawa urban test environment. Consequently, even if a solution includes detecting and/or defeating UAS in other environments, the focus of the challenge and selections for this sandbox is on detection in an urban environment.

1. Background and context
   1. 1.1 The UAS landscape is rapidly evolving. The rapid increase of availability, affordability, complexity, and capabilities of UAS systems is posing increasing threats to the DND/CAF and our Defence and Security partners. Potential adversaries are also adapting UAS designs to evade current CUAS capabilities, by reducing the UAS visibility, minimizing radio-frequency emissions, increasing autonomy, operating at higher velocities, etc., thus rendering the current CUAS approaches obsolete. Proposed solutions to this challenge should consider not only what is available and a threat today, but also emerging UAS and CUAS capabilities and how they might be detected, and/or exploited tomorrow.
   2. 1.2. CUAS was identified as one of the priorities in Canada’s 2017 defence policy Strong, Secure, Engaged (SSE) which stated: “As the development of remotely piloted systems increases… Canada will require the appropriate capabilities to identify and defend against these burgeoning threats” (page 73).
   3. 1.3. Due to the importance of this challenge, the CAF is in the process of establishing a strategic level Joint CUAS Office (JCO) for coordinating with the Canadian Army (CA), Royal Canadian Navy (RCN), Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF), Canadian Special Operations Forces Command (CANSOFCOM), and our allies and partners. The information presented in this IDEaS CUAS challenge represents a blending of characteristics of interest to one or more of the services, as well as the RCMP.
   4. 1.4. The RCMP has an enduring responsibility for protecting Canadians from threats in a domestic environment, including security at major events such as the G7, Olympics, and VIP protection, including CUAS. The RCMP also works with their international security partners (such as the research and development network with New Zealand, Australia, United Kingdom, and United States), which includes assorted technology test and demonstration events.
   5. 1.5. CUAS 2025 (Urban) is a critical milestone in the 5RD (Research and Development) CUAS Network research and development activities where Canada (RCMP) is responsible to hold an Urban CUAS testing event in 2025. This organization is the Public Safety version of 5Eyes. The RCMP requested assistance from DRDC CSS CUAS Portfolio Manager who subsequently engaged IDEaS, based on IDEaS Sandbox expertise and available contracting mechanism.
   6. 1.6. The following CAF projects have a direct interest in CUAS systems and the results of this challenge:
      1. 1.6.1. Canadian Forces Land Electronic Warfare Modernization (CFLEWM). CFLEWM is upgrading the Army’s Mobile Electronic Warfare Teams in Light and Armoured platforms. While dedicated CUAS capabilities are out of scope for CFLEWM, a beneficial outcome would be to understand how multi-role EW Sense and Attack capabilities can contribute to the CUAS fight, and how dedicated CUAS sensors could be integrated into the EW sensor network.
      2. 1.6.2. Land Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Modernization (Land ISR Mod). Land ISR Mod is investigating capabilities that can provide sensor systems for the purposes of targeting. This project is mandated under SSE: Canada’s Defence Policy – Initiative #42 and is funded. This project is in Options Analysis transitioning to Definition.
      3. 1.6.3. Counter Uncrewed Aerial Systems (CUAS). A specific CUAS initiative is investigating CUAS systems capable of defending critical infrastructure, vehicles, and personnel from micro and mini UAS. This project is not funded at this time, and consequently an intended date for any future procurement cannot yet be stated.
   7. 1.7. UAS sizes to be considered for the challenge: Micro and Mini For the purposes of this challenge, the following definitions are used:
      1. 1.7.1. Micro UAS with typical characteristics of:
         • <2kg.
         • up to 200 ft Above Ground Level (AGL).
         • normal mission radius of 5km Line of Sight (LOS).
         • operating at high speeds up to 200 kph.
      2. 1.7.2. Mini UAS with typical characteristics of:
         • 2-15kg.
         • up to 3000 ft AGL.
         • normal mission radius of 25km LOS.

         operating at high speeds up to 200 kph.

   8. 1.8. CUAS methodologies. The general methodologies for achieving CUAS effects can be characterized as:
      • Active detection, in which the CUAS system is transmitting a signal in order to detect the UAS (such as radar), which has the disadvantage of potentially revealing the location of the transmitter, depending on the technology used.
      • Passive detection, which conceals our own position and relies on detecting the UAS from effects it generates (such as visual detection, electronic signatures, audible noise, etc.).

2. CUAS challenge essential outcomes. Aside from addressing the challenge in an overall sense, there are no specific detailed essential challenge outcomes at this time.
3. CUAS desirable outcomes: DND/CAF is open to receiving all types of solutions with variable outcomes that are not restricted to the following list; however, the desirable outcomes on this list are of particular interest and solutions that address these in whole or in part have an increased likelihood of being selected to attend CUAS 2025 (Urban):
   1. 3.1. Operating Outcomes of Interest
      • 3.1.1. Integration into an External Command and Control System.
        • The UAS threat is only one threat amongst many that CAF must constantly consider in a layered operational environment. While a singular CUAS system may be quite capable, if its information and control cannot be integrated into a common command and control structure its functional utilization is diminished, requiring additional human resources to manually fill that gap, which reduces both efficiency and effectiveness of the system and the deployed force.
        • It is desirable that proposed systems/sensors/technologies are interoperable/compatible with digital protocols already in use by the CAF. This will enable the seamless integration of new technologies, sharing critical digital information throughout every level of Command and Control (C2) systems and potential remote control of the technology. The CAF protocols in use include Joint Range Extension Application Protocol (JREAP-C) J-Series messages, Variable Message Format (VMF) K-Series messages, Cursor on Target (CoT) messages, Sensing for Asset Protection using Integrated Electronic Networked Technology (SAPIENT).
      • 3.1.2. Systems that can operate in a contested electromagnetic environment where radio frequency noise, jamming, and loss of external communications links, navigation and timing signals can occur.
      • 3.1.3. Systems that can be safely used in close proximity to bystanders, as would occur when protecting a public gathering, or using the system in a busy downtown urban setting.
      • 3.1.4. Systems that can be rapidly deployed from home base to locations across Canada and the world, and once on site being able to quickly pack and go to another tactical location within the same general area.
      • 3.1.5. Detecting and tracking swarms of UAS.
      • 3.1.6. Detecting and tracking high speed maneuvering drones, especially First Person View (FPV) ones.
      • 3.1.7. Detecting and tracking tethered UAS, notably fibre-optic tethers up to 30 kilometers in length.
        • Tethered drones use a physical tether that provides power, data, or both from a tether station located on the ground, to the drone.
        • This is a growing threat in CUAS operations as such drones don’t rely on radio connections for control and data transmission which makes detection of their presence more difficult, and they cannot be defeated by electronic jamming. When very thin fibre optic tethers are used, the tether can be as long as 30 kilometres in length.
        • To detect this new kind of threat, methods that rely on RF energy will be less effective but potentially the tether itself provides new opportunities for innovative techniques. In addition to detecting the actual drone, perhaps the tether itself can be detected with visual or other sensor types that detect emissions or some other disturbance from the tether?

        Note that tethered target drones will not be used at the sandbox for safety reasons, but the capability is still of interest.

      • 3.1.8. Detecting and tracking drones in an urban operating environment that are:
        • Below the rooftop level of the surrounding buildings; and
        • Within line of sight, as would occur when the threat drone is approaching from a long distance but using a straight road towards the detection point (implying a long line of sight to detect the approaching threat).
      • 3.1.9. Detecting and tracking drones in an urban operating environment that are:
        • Below the rooftop level of the surrounding buildings; and
        • Obstructed from direct line of sight by buildings, as would occur when the threat drone is maneuvering between buildings and hiding from sight prior to final approach (implying a detector’s ability to “see” through or around buildings in some manner, or perhaps a mesh of multiple networked detectors, or…???).
   2. 3.2. Operational scenarios. Operating in urban scenarios such as complex and cluttered infrastructure, obstacles, and electromagnetic environments presents unique difficulties for CUAS systems. It is desirable that a solution addresses as many of the following scenarios as possible, each to the maximum extent possible. Descriptions of achieving these scenarios should consider that the threat drones may be approaching from:
      • above the city.
      • below rooftop level on a long straight street towards the venue (implying longer range detection with a visual line of sight down that street).
      • below rooftop level but hiding behind buildings until within one city block of the event (implying a means to detect targets visually obscured from the event location by buildings).
      1. 3.2.1. Urban Area Defense. The area to be defended is a major city downtown location and a square of 4 x 4 city blocks, with office towers varying from 2 to 15 stories high. The intent is to identify and track drones before they reach the perimeter, and inside the perimeter if penetrated.
      2. 3.2.2. Urban Point Defense. A visiting Head of State will be at an outdoor location downtown with media drone coverage expected. The personal protection unit requires immediate notification of any incoming threat drones so that the VIP can be immediately protected and removed from the location.

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Annex B – CUAS evaluation of scientific and technical risk

In seeking innovative solutions, the IDEaS program is open to high-risk untested solutions, provided such solutions come with reasonable substantiation and a high impact to addressing the challenge at hand. High risk without high reward is of less interest.

This full process is only undertaken for a specific solution when the selection decision is in doubt due to the risk. To enable that aspect of the selection process, the following risk assessment profile is used as an overall assessment of the technical feasibility and risk of the solution successfully performing to the extent described by the applicant.

Consequently, it is the quality and completeness of the applicant’s responses throughout their application that provide the applicant’s opportunity to influence the risk assessment. Incomplete or unreasonable explanations will tend to increase the risk level.

The risk assessment reflects a combined consideration of:

1. What has already been proven through testing? Were the solution’s levels of performance and characteristics successfully tested to substantiate the description? To emphasize, untested does not mean unacceptable, and it is fully expected that concepts and prototypes will be untested in many areas.
2. If not tested, how reasonable were the provided substantiations for the claimed yet untested descriptions?
3. From a technical perspective and given those substantiations, what is the resultant likelihood for the solution not achieving its described performance levels or characteristics?
4. What would be the consequence to the solution’s effectiveness be in addressing the challenge, if that likelihood occurs?
5. With that likelihood and consequence, what is the overall scientific and technical risk?

The risk evaluation is based on the information provided throughout the application process. No additional specific risk information is provided by the applicant. There is no point score for this risk assessment. Instead, the results are used during the strategic selection process, as described in the Applicant Guide.

Risk evaluation process:

Question 1: Testing to date. How often were the described levels of performance and characteristics supported by successful and repeatable testing?

• Fully untested
• Mostly untested
• Mixed tested and untested
• Mostly tested
• Fully tested

Question 2: How reasonable was the provided substantiation to support the described level of performance or characteristic when testing was not yet done, not successful, or not repeatable?

• Extremely Substantiations were almost always unreasonable or not present, based on unproven or untested principles that do not align, or even contravene, known science and technology principles.
• Mostly unreasonable. Substantiations were usually unreasonable or not present, and while not fully misaligning or contravening known science and technology principles did not provide an adequate explanation as to why that outcome would be possible.
• Generally reasonable. Substantiations were generally reasonable and present, generally remaining within touch of the boundaries of accepted science and technology principles, even if stretching those boundaries to a reasonable extent.
• Mostly reasonable. Substantiations were often reasonable and present, generally remaining within the boundaries of accepted science and technology principles.
• Extremely reasonable. Substantiations were almost always reasonable, based on principles that are well understood and accepted using well established science and technology principles. 

Question 3: Consequence. For those performance levels or characteristics that were less likely to be achieved, what would be the collective consequence to the solution’s effectiveness in the operational scenarios if they are not achieved?

• Extreme. The inability to achieve those levels would collectively and significantly impede the solution’s overall claimed operational scenario effectiveness, to the point of it losing applicability to the challenge.

• High. The inability to achieve those levels would collectively and significantly impede the solution’s overall claimed operational scenario effectiveness, to the point of it losing applicability to the one or more of the claimed scenarios.

• Medium. The inability to achieve those levels would collectively degrade the solution’s overall claimed operational scenario effectiveness, but it would still have some applicability to some of the claimed scenarios.

• Low. The inability to achieve that those levels would collectively have minimal impact to the solution’s overall claimed operational scenario effectiveness.

• Negligible. The inability to achieve that those levels would collectively have virtually no impact to the solution’s overall claimed operational scenario effectiveness.

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Annex C – CUAS 2025 (Urban) Sandbox “Diamond in the Rough” prizes

Introduction

The Diamond in the Rough (DIR) prizes are awarded for CUAS innovations demonstrated at the Sandbox that have impact in the field of CUAS and are tracking towards success with good growth potential and ability to address their demonstrated limitations, and a result receive financial non-repayable grants with up to $1,750,000 in total prizes available.

Creating a true CUAS capability can involve a mix of technologies and capability levels with a collective layered approach for CUAS defence rather than a single individual system being “the best and only”. As the Sandbox will include such a mix of technologies and capabilities, the awarding of prizes is not as simple as who detected the most targets, or shot down the most, or did it at the longest range, etc.

Instead, the Diamond in the Rough prizes are being awarded within the context of seeking whose CUAS innovation is tracking towards success, even if not quite there yet. Are they best filling a niche of CUAS with good potential for growing? Are the current limitations of the technology understood, and can further development expand the technology beyond those limitations?

Consequently, the process, criteria, and prizes are designed to identify and reward innovators who have:

1. Created a solution of interest to RCMP/CAF, such that they were selected to attend the Sandbox; and
2. Demonstrated the performance of their solution at the Sandbox; and
3. Will have impact in the field of CUAS; and
4. Attempted test profiles at the sandbox beyond their solution’s capabilities to the point of failure, such that current limitations are demonstrated; and
5. Have the potential for further improvement to address those demonstrated limitations as their solution’s technology approach has not yet plateaued and the company has a plan and the capacity to conduct the work; and
6. Have created a continuing post-Sandbox interest from the CAF in their approach to CUAS as determined by examining all the information from the original Sandbox application to the observations and results at the sandbox; and
7. Utilizing the Strategic Selection Parameters are thus worthy of investment from IDEaS via a Diamond in the Rough financial grant.

With consideration to the potential and impact, prizes will be awarded for up to up to the following notional amounts. Final prize amounts will be established to align with the developmental potential of the selected technologies:

• 1st Place $1,000,000
• 2nd Place $500,000
• 3rd Place $250,000

Prize decisions by the CUAS Committee are considered final. There is no appeal process.

Eligibility

Eligibility for the DIR prizes is a post-selection pre-sandbox process. Innovators that are not eligible for the DIR prizes or choose to not participate in its additional prize process, are still fully welcome to participate in the sandbox without being eligible for the DIR prizes.

To be eligible to receive a DIR prize the innovator must meet all the following:

1. Be selected to attend the Sandbox;
2. Be a legal entity duly incorporated and validly existing in Canada prior to the first day of the sandbox.
   1. International applicants may be eligible, provided they meet this requirement with a legal entity duly incorporated and validly existing in Canada.
   2. For international or Canadian companies not incorporated in Canada at the time of your original sandbox application it is a process that can be completed in the time between selection and commencement of the sandbox provided you don’t delay in doing so. These websites may be of assistance:
      1. Starting a business - Canada.ca
      2. Registering your business with the government - Canada.ca

• Opening a Canadian bank account for non-Canadians - Canada.ca

1. Examples of acceptable legal entities duly incorporated and validly existing in Canada, include:
   1. Canadian universities and educational institutions chartered in Canada.
   2. Incorporated Canadian not-for-profit organizations or associations.

• Incorporated Canadian for-profit companies, organizations or associations.

1. Provincial/territorial, or municipal government organizations.

3. The following are not eligible regardless of any other status:
   1. Federal and provincial crown corporations are not eligible.
   2. Government entities at any level of any country other than Canada.

4. Submit their DIR application by the date indicated by the Sandbox team, notionally one month prior to the commencement of the sandbox.

5. The participant must conduct actual demonstrations at the Sandbox. If no demonstrations are conducted, they are not eligible, regardless of cause unless excepted as described under the “Extenuating circumstances that impact demonstration conditions and outcomes” section below.

The evaluation and selection of the winners will be a staged process consisting of:

Stage 1: Initial Sandbox application.

• Application, evaluation and selection to attend the CUAS 2025 (Urban) Sandbox, as described throughout this Applicant Guide.
• Only those applicants selected to attend the Sandbox proceed to Stage 2.

Stage 2: Pre-Sandbox, DIR application

• Prior to the Sandbox all participants will be given the opportunity to apply and agree at their discretion to participate in the DIR prizes.
• This will include a short DIR application template document for the participants to respond to the criteria in the table below that will be used during the DIR process.
• This template will be available to the Sandbox participants after they are selected and is to be submitted approximately one month prior to the Sandbox. A precise date will be communicated by IDEaS in advance of that.

Stage 3: Demonstrations and evaluations at CUAS 2025 (Urban)

• Demonstrations at the Sandbox will be evaluated by Sandbox observer teams.
• All Sandbox participants that applied to participate in the prizes will be evaluated against all Diamond in the Rough criteria as described below.
• Evaluators will consider all information provided during the original application and evaluation process as well as the specific DIR Application information and the evaluations at the Sandbox.
• Those evaluated as a “Pass” against all mandatory criteria will proceed to Stage 4.

Stage 4: Selection of the DIR prize winners

• Awarding of the prizes from those that proceeded to Stage 4 will be made using the Strategic Selection Parameters as described in the original Sandbox selection process in this Guide, inclusive of consideration of:
  • the evaluation results from the DIR criteria described below.
  • all other information provided during the entirety of the Sandbox process, including the original application and evaluation; and
  • the Strategic Selection Parameters.
• If there is a tie outcome for any of the prize positions that cannot be suitably broken using the strategic parameters, the CUAS Committee may choose to divide the cumulative prize for such tied positions equally. For example, if 1st place and 2nd place remain tied, each may be declared as tied for first place with each receiving half of the sum of the 1st and 2nd place prizes. The 3rd place prize and the total prize money awarded will remain unchanged in this.
• The selection process and announcements of winners will be made as soon as possible after the conclusion of the Sandbox.
• Prize decisions by the CUAS Committee are considered final. There is no appeal process.

CUAS 2025 (Urban) Sandbox DIR evaluation and criteria

The following table provides the criteria that will be used for the DIR evaluation.

1. Criteria design. The criteria are designed to equitably accommodate a wide range of technology types and operational applications across different layers of the CUAS spectrum and at different TRLs. It cannot be as simple as “who has the longest range” as doing so would not be equitable to technology types designed for the short-range layer of CUAS defense, or those only designed for detecting and not defeating UAS, etc. Consequently, the criteria are broad based rather than just specific performance areas and numbers.

2. Extenuating circumstances that impact demonstration conditions and outcomes.

1. Variations in weather conditions and other factors outside of the innovator’s control can influence the demonstrations conducted at the Sandbox. It would be unfair to compare one innovator’s performance in ideal conditions, against another who experienced more challenging conditions as they were at the Sandbox during a different week with substantively different and impactful conditions (high winds or heavy rain for example).
2. To account for this, where applicable, possible, and reasonable, the evaluations of the criteria for each innovator may include allowances for such factors to the extent possible to enable an equitable evaluation of all participants, and only if such factors:
   1. Would make an appreciable difference to the evaluation; and
   2. Were outside the responsibility and control of the participant. Typically, these will be restricted to the environmental conditions, or variations in the Red Team of targets available. Issues such as solution reliability or design would not typically be included, nor would the inability to demonstrate something due to an equipment shipping issue or other administrative/logistical factor caused by the participant or an agent or contractor engaged by them.
3. The decision to apply or not apply any such evaluation allowances is at the sole discretion of Canada.

3. Criteria scoring.
   1. Each mandatory criteria is evaluated as a Pass/Fail.
   2. Each point rated criteria is scored on a scale of 0-100 as described in its criteria description.
   3. Note that during the final selection of the DIR prize recipients, selections will consider the cumulative score and scoring on individual criteria.

CUAS 2025 (Urban) Sandbox DIR mandatory criteria After being selected, Sandbox participants submit a DIR application form of approximately 4-6 pages in order to provide responses for these criteria.
Mandatory criteria	Description and scoring
MC-1 Eligibility – Business status Prior to commencement of the Sandbox on November 24, 2025, eligible recipients of prizes must be a legal entity duly incorporated and validly existing in Canada. This need not be in place at the time of Sandbox application in June 2025.	Pass: The innovator has provided proof prior to arrival at the Sandbox of at least one of: Canadian universities and educational institutions chartered in Canada. Incorporated Canadian not-for-profit organizations or associations. Incorporated Canadian for-profit companies, organizations, or associations. Provincial/territorial, or municipal government organizations. International applicants may be eligible, provided they meet this requirement with a legal entity duly incorporated and validly existing in Canada. Fail: The innovator has not provided proof of at least one of the above list. The following may be of assistance: Opening a Canadian bank account for non-Canadians - Canada.ca Starting a business - Canada.ca Registering your business with the government - Canada.ca
MC-2 Eligibility – Demonstrations were conducted at the CUAS 2024 Sandbox The conduct of a demonstration does not mean that the demonstration was successful in itself, it just means the demonstration was conducted.	Pass: Sufficient demonstrations were given to enable a reasonable evaluation of the solution. Fsil: Insufficient demonstrations were given to enable a reasonable evaluation of the solution; and There were insufficient circumstances to enable a projected evaluation, as described above in the preceding section “Extenuating circumstances that impact demonstration conditions and outcomes.”

CUAS 2025 (Urban) Sandbox DIR Point Rated Criteria (PRC) Note that when referring to “other solutions”, that includes all solutions known to Canada from any source. It is not only the other solutions at the Sandbox unless stated as such.
Point rated criteria	Description and scoring
PRC-1 Creating impact in the field of CUAS	To develop an assessment of the solution’s impact in the field of CUAS, evaluators will consider the following sub-criteria:
PRC 1-1 How unique is the solutions method?	Multiple other solutions use the same method. (0 points) Other solutions use similar methods, but there are some minor improvements to this solution. (25 points) Other solutions use similar methods, but there is a major unique aspect to this solution. (50 points) The solution is mostly unique, with some minor similarities to other solutions. (75 points) The solution is a first of its kind. (100 points)
PRC 1-2 How well did it perform relative to what its method would be expected to achieve, and how advanced its TRL is?	The TRL establishes the bar for where the current level of performance at the sandbox would be “expected” for a solution. If the TRL is lower, weaker performance is to be expected so a higher score can be given if the potential for improvement at higher TRLs seems evident. If the TRL is already higher, better performance is expected at the sandbox, so the scoring would reflect that. Not particularly well. (0 points) Somewhat well. (25 points) Moderately well. (50 points) Quite well. (75 points) Extremely well. (100 points)
PRC 1-3 Is it filling a gap in CUAS operations that other solutions are not adequately addressing?	No. There are many other solutions already sufficiently meeting this operational effect. (0 points) Somewhat. There are a few but not many solutions in the same space. This solution would only offer marginal improvements beyond what the other solutions already do. (25 points) Partially. There are other solutions with similar operational effects, but the level of effectiveness is less than ideal and an additional solution working in this area is of good value. (50 points) Mostly. There are a few other effective solutions in this space with some minor shortfalls that this solution seems to be capable of addressing. (75 points) Yes. The solution is addressing a niche of CUAS that very few, if any, other solutions are sufficiently addressing. (100 points)
PRC-2 Demonstration of solution limitations DIR prizes are for funding technologies that with further investment and development can be substantively improved beyond current limitations. Evaluating that aspect requires demonstration of current limitations. If no limitations are shown and boundaries are not pushed and exceeded, the awarding of a DIR prize is in doubt.	For a DIR prize, the Innovator is expected to include test profiles that push their technologies beyond limits to the point of failure to adequately detect or defeat the target. Such “demonstrations to failure” could cover all the characteristics included in the sandbox application form; however, emphasis for this DIR evaluation will be on these “capability areas”: Maximum effective ranges and altitudes. Speed of response or detection. Maximum speed of target and extent of target maneuverability. Target types Dealing with concurrent targets (swarms) The evaluator will consider the collective demonstrations conducted and assess to what extent the limitations of the technology were demonstrated and understood: Scoring: 0 points – No understanding. The demonstrations were fully within the capabilities of the solution. The solution seemed to be capable of doing better but the innovator was not demonstrating to the point of failure. We have no understanding of the solution’s limitations. 25 points – Marginal understanding. The demonstrations were mostly within the capabilities of the solution, but a few limitations were shown. The solution seemed to be capable of doing better in most areas. We have a marginal understanding of the solution’s limitations. 50 points – Some understanding. The capability areas were an even mix of demonstrated limitations, and limitations that were not reached. We have some understanding of the solution’s limitations. 75 points – Good understanding. The limitations of the solution were mostly demonstrated. We have a good understanding of the solution’s limitations. 100 points – Excellent understanding. The limitations of the solution were fully demonstrated to the point of failure. We have an excellent understanding of the solution’s limitations.
PRC-3 Two-year growth plan Typically, the life cycle for many solutions follows a developmental path with a slow start for initial iterations followed by a period of accelerating cycles of developments with major improvements or leaps in performance and production efficiency, culminating in a flattened plateau as the limits of that methodology are reached and further growth slows. DND/CAF is interested in solutions with a strong growth potential.	In relation to the state of the art for the technologies and methods used by the solution, describe your plan for the solution’s growth over the next two years commencing after the Sandbox (to September 2028), including: An overview of the planned work. Substantiation for, and by how much, its performance is reasonably expected to increase. Expected TRL at November 2027. The described growth must be substantively different and an improvement. The evaluation will consider if the proposed growth of the solution is of interest and relevance to DND/CAF as follows: 0 points - Of negligible interest. 25 points - Of low interest. 50 points - Of moderate interest. 75 points - Of high interest. 100 points - Of extreme interest.
PRC-4 Capacity to execute the two-year plan.	Describe, explain, and substantiate the company’s capacity to execute the described two-year growth, including management, technical development, testing, and production. Scoring: 0 points – No reasonable explanation of such capacity was evident. 25 points – Some capacity was evident, but the substantiation was weak, lacking in sufficient specifics to give confidence the work could be achieved as described. 50 points – A reasonable capacity was evident, likely sufficient to meet the major objectives, but with some risk. 75 points - A reasonable capacity was evident, sufficient to meet major objectives with little capacity risk. 100 points - A fully reasonable and substantiated capacity was evident, sufficient to meet the major objectives and with capacity allowances included to accommodate unexpected issues.

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