24 May 2012

Press Release – ING Engineering, Canada’s leading robotic aircraft systems solution provider, expands and settles in Sherbrooke, Québec. The increased demand in this highly specialized market and technology, and the availability of qualified professionals in the region prompted the establishment of the business in Sherbrooke.

The company, whose headquarters are located in Ottawa, is centralizing all engineering and development of its products at its Sherbrooke facility, on des Sables Street. It already employs six engineers and plans to double that number within five years.

Unmanned aircrafts have several commercial applications and are safer and more effective than traditional methods using a plane or helicopter. The main objective of the Sherbrooke office is to develop advanced systems of flying robots and adapting existing systems with new technologies. Several unmanned aircraft systems are developed and tested at ING Engineering’s facility in Sherbrooke, and the airports surrounding Sherbrooke; Bromont and Thetford Mines.

The expertise of the graduates of the University of Sherbrooke was a crucial element in the company’s choice of the Sherbrooke location. Ian Glenn, Chairman and CEO states “We have chosen to expand into the Sherbrooke region because we see a real potential in Quebec for the future growth of ING Engineering. We are very eager to draw from the pool of talented young Engineers who have keen insight into the sector of Unmanned Systems”.

To this day, ING Engineering has hired over 80% of his Engineering team from the Sherbrooke region and will continue to do so.

“ING Engineering’s choice of Sherbrooke is another proof that the positioning of Sherbrooke as a city of knowledge and innovation is successful. Not only does this value-added new economy attract high-tech companies, but it also keeps our university graduates in Sherbrooke”, says Pierre Bélanger, Director General of Sherbrooke Innopole.

ING Engineering was founded in 2001 to meet intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance requirements more accurately and cost-effectively than traditional methods. Unmanned systems developed in Sherbrooke now replace traditional equipment such as manned helicopters, aircraft or utility vehicles.

ING Engineering has flown 30,000+ combat hours supporting Canada’s Armed Forces in the last few years.   They also provide simulators for training unmanned aerial systems operators.

 Charles Vidal, director of engineering, and Ian Glenn, CEO

See all photos from the press conference.