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Two Australian defence industry firms will compete against 13 other teams from across the world for innovation funding from the Canadian government later this year as a part of its bi-annual counter uncrewed aerial systems sandbox.

The Canadian Department of National Defence has announced the participants selected for the next iteration of the government’s counter-UAS Sandbox, which will take place in Suffield, Alberta, in May and June this year.

SYDNEY — A display shows a small commercial drone darting around. Then, tracking dots illuminate on the drone as the targeting system locks on. An operator sitting at a laptop and controlling a joystick fires a high-energy laser that disables the camera on the drone. The next shot fries one of the arms on the quadcopter, sending it pinwheeling to the ground.

After three years of development, AIM Defence’s directed energy facility was opened by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence Richard Marles, and local federal member and Minister for Skills and Training Brendan O’Connor.