Uncategorized – SDG Innovation Network

The Québec-Seoul 2024 aerospace scientific mission, in which Jean-Marc Frayret, professor at Polytechnique Montréal and research director of the SDG Institute for Advanced Air Mobility (AAM), took place from October 28^th to November 1^st, 2024. Concordia University, École de Technologies Supérieures and CRIAQ were also represented on this mission, whose main objective was to explore the Korean innovation ecosystem of Urban Air Mobility (UAM). The mission enabled the Québec delegation to meet key institutions such as KAIST and KAU universities, the KARI and KITECH research centers, KIAST, an institute specializing in safety and certification in the aerospace sector, and local government bodies involved in UAM. The mission concluded with the Québec delegates taking part in K-UAM Confex, an international forum on UAM organized by UAM Team Korea.

South Korea’s progress in Urban Air Mobility

One of the main lessons learned from this mission is that South Korea is well ahead of Québec and Canada in the development and adoption of UAM. The establishment of the UAM Team Korea in 2020 has enabled the development of an ambitious roadmap for the adoption of UAM, the Grand Challenge project. This project involves numerous industrial, academic and government players, as well as research centers, specialized institutes and other players in the aerospace ecosystem. The project plans to test eVTOL urban flights by the end of 2025. The Korean UAM ecosystem is thus based on close collaboration between numerous public and private players, coordinated by the Republic of Korea’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, creating a model for effective UAM integration.

Opportunities for collaboration with South Korea

The mission identified several potential collaborations between Québec and South Korea. In particular, KAIST University (a member of UAM Team Korea) expressed interest in collaborating with Québec to develop an intelligent hangar for UAM, using smart sensors for automatic detection of vehicle structural problems. KARI (an executive member of UAM Team Korea) is currently building a highly advanced digital twin, with several digital simulation models of various complementary aspects of the UAM already integrated. KARI also offers very interesting avenues for technological partnerships, notably with the SDG-AAM Institute. KITECH is a research center dedicated to helping small and medium-sized businesses with their R&D needs. Although KITECH is not directly a member of UAM Team Korea, it is also positioning itself as a key partner for the application of artificial intelligence in the air mobility of the future, 3D printing, and the development of advanced materials for AAM.

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Advanced Air Mobility “AAM” is an emerging sector of air transport resulting from major advances in electric propulsion (motors, batteries, fuel cells, electronic controllers, etc.) and the growing need to improve services to people. Electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft are the most recent examples of technology in this sector. More than 600 prototypes, 350 companies involved and 20 billion dollars invested in the aircraft component of the AAM are a vote of confidence. Compared to traditional aircraft, they have the potential to provide more affordable, efficient and environmentally friendly transportation in urban communities, suburbs, rural and remote areas.

The government of Québec announced on May 20 the creation of an aerospace innovation zone “Espace Aéro”, located in Longueuil, Mirabel and Montreal, with an investment of $415 million to increase the attractiveness of Québec in the aerospace field.

“To contribute to Québec Espace Aéro in becoming a world leader in decarbonization, advanced air mobility and autonomous and intelligent systems and to meet the challenge of the emerging AAM sector, we are extremely happy, with the support of ADM, to announce, at the occasion of the ICAO AAM Symposium held in Montréal, the creation of the first Canadian Institute for Advanced Air Mobility in Mirabel. The Institute will have a research vocation, directed by Prof. Jean-Marc Frayret at Polytechnique and a training vocation, led by Prof. Carole El-Ayoubi at Concordia”, commented Prof. Hany Moustapha, from the École de Technologie Supérieure (ÉTS) and Director General of the SDG Innovation Network.

NRC-IAM, U.Concordia, Wisk, Polytechnique, SDG/ETS, Aéro Montréal, ADM, CED, U.Sherbrooke (ICAO, Sept. 9, 2024)

The Institute has around thirty professors in AAM and its mission is to “Create a critical mass of researchers and professionals in the field of advanced air mobility (AAM): digital, intelligent and sustainable to support the “Espace Aéro” of Québec.

The objectives of the Institute are:

Meet the R&D needs in Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) of companies in the Espace Aéro in Montreal, Mirabel and St-Hubert;
Act as a research and training observatory for the AAM;
Be a key player in the development of knowledge and skills in the field of AAM;
Raise awareness among different communities and stakeholders about the emergence of a new sector of activity;
Contribute to the positioning of Quebec and Canada as a center of influence on an international scale in the field of AAM;

The Institute will have three TEAM (Technologies for Electric Air Mobility) projects, the first of which will be a $3 million project in Digital Twin for Electric Air Mobility and a Research Chair with Prof. Yasmina Maïzi from ESG-UQAM. The project and the chair are co-financed by ADM, Humanitas and funds from the federal and provincial governments. The project will involve 15 professors and 24 students from five universities. The project includes air traffic management, simulation, control and regulation, cybersecurity, 5G/6G network architecture, technology testing and operationalization of multimodal automated logistics, Vertiport network design and the deployment of resources (for the Mirabel-Alma corridor), IoT infrastructure, social and economic acceptability, technological demonstration, etc.

The Institute will work in close collaboration with Aéro Montréal, CRIAQ, the Alma Drone Center of Excellence (CED), the Integrated Air Mobility Program (IAM) of the National Research Council of Canada (NRC) and the Cégep of Saint-Jérôme for continuing education.

“ADM is enthusiastic to be involved in the creation of this Institute and these research and training projects. YMX International Aerocity of Mirabel is a unique aeronautical hub in North America. YMX plays a central role in Espace Aéro, the aerospace innovation zone in Québec, in terms of flight testing and sustainable and intelligent air mobility. This project is part of our desire to create an aerospace innovation center and contribute to the impact of Espace Aéro,” commented Mr. Yves Beauchamp, President and CEO of ADM Aéroports de Montréal.

“Humanitas Solutions is proud to partner with this Advanced Air Mobility Institute, as are its partners XSpace.AI and Nanook.Telecom. By investing in research and development, we not only strengthen our strategic position, but we also contribute to making Québec a world leader in sustainable and intelligent air mobility. This collaboration will help propel our innovations on an international scale, while meeting the growing needs of the aerospace sector. » commented Mr. Abdo Shabah, CEO of Humanitas Solutions.

During the 2024 Farnborough Airshow, Yves Beauchamp, CEO of Montréal Airport (ADM), announced a $1M contribution for the creation of four industrial chairs in electric air mobility for the SDG Innovation Network. This initiative is part of a project with a total budget of 15 million Canadian dollars. The announcement was made at the Aéro Montréal evening on July 24, in the presence of 150 participants from industry, academia, and government, who warmly welcomed the news.

These industrial chairs are part of the TEAM project (Technology for Electric Air Mobility), supported by the SDG Network in collaboration with ADM, Humanitas, and other industrial partners. The chairs will be established at Polytechnique Montréal, UQAM, ÉTS, and Concordia.

The five-year project will cover topics such as cybersecurity, 5G telecommunications, the Internet of Things (IoT), air traffic, and more. Some simulations and tests of eVTOLs will be conducted at the Mirabel Innovation Center for the development and certification of eVTOLs. A demonstration corridor will also be established between Mirabel and Alma for the eVTOLs.

Hany Moustapha, General Director of SDG, led the ADM team in fruitful discussions with other partners such as Aéro Montréal, CRIAQ, Wisk, Ericsson, OPAL-RT, MHI, Cranfield University, and the NRC.

This project, the first of its kind in Canada, underscores SDG Innovation’s commitment to the future of electric air mobility and positions Montréal as a global leader in this field. Thanks to this unprecedented collaboration between industry and academia, we eagerly anticipate the groundbreaking advancements that will emerge from this unique initiative.

The SDG Innovation Network successfully organized the 5th edition of its summer school on May 23 and 24, 2024 at ESG UQAM. The event brought together students, researchers, professors and industry partners to exchange ideas on smart, digital and green issues.

The summer school offered a rich scientific program, including lectures, workshops, competitions and poster exhibitions, as well as networking opportunities. Highlights of the program included:

Speeches and lectures: Ideas on topics such as “Excellence 5.0 – AI for operational excellence”, “Sustainable IT Awareness” and “Low Emission Aviation at NRC”.
Workshops: Interactive sessions on IoT and Power BI.
Competitions and projects: Student competitions and project presentations with prizes for the best ideas.
Networking and social events: Cocktails and poster exhibitions for enhanced networking opportunities.

This year, discussions focused on the theme “Frugality & Connectivity for Industry X.0”, providing a platform for innovative ideas and collaborative solutions.

We were delighted to see such a large turnout, and look forward to the continued collaboration and innovation sparked by this event.

Professor Dr. Hany Moustapha was awarded the prestigious title of “Grand Ambassador” by the Palais des congrès de Montréal on April 4, 2024. This honor recognizes his significant contributions to the economic and societal development of the community.

Dr. Moustapha has been a pivotal figure in promoting Montréal on the international stage for nearly two decades. His dedication and leadership have not only advanced the city’s global reputation but also fostered substantial economic growth through his efforts in attracting large-scale conventions and events to the region.

As a former president of the Ambassadors’ Club from 2017 to 2023 and the instigator of the Multisector Strategic Taskforce, Dr. Moustapha’s work has been instrumental in driving innovation and collaboration across various sectors. His recognition as Grand Ambassador is a testament to his enduring impact and unwavering commitment to the community’s prosperity and development.