Aerospace Research Centre

The Aerospace Research Centre is shaping the future of aviation.

About NRC

The National Research Council of Canada

The National Research Council of Canada (NRC) operates a network of 12 research centres across the country, covering a wide variety of fields: aerospace, aquatic and crop resources, automotive and surface transportation, clean energy innovation, construction, digital technologies, astronomy and astrophysics, human health therapeutics, medical devices, metrology, ocean, coastal and river engineering, and quantum and nanotechnologies, among others.

The NRC’s mission is to have an impact by advancing knowledge, applying leading-edge technologies, and working with innovators to find creative, relevant, and sustainable solutions to today’s and tomorrow’s economic, social, and environmental challenges.

Together with HIDA, the NRC organizes the Canada Mobility Program, which offers doctoral researchers and postdocs from the Helmholtz Association and the NRC institutes the opportunity to undertake a research stay.

Learn more about the program!

Its work focuses on developing technologies for electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft (eVTOL) and drones that can transport people and goods in urban, rural, and remote areas. The aim is to integrate these innovations safely and efficiently while supporting regulation, certification, and Canada’s leadership in this sector.

Research covers autonomy, detect-and-avoid systems, airspace modelling, low-noise propulsion, remote sensing, and counter-drone solutions. The NRC also pursues advances in AI-enabled technologies such as flight autonomy, remote sensing, and simulation.

With access to state-of-the-art facilities - including wind tunnels, robotics labs, propulsion test sites, and acoustic chambers -researchers benefit from unique infrastructure, multidisciplinary expertise, and strong links to industry and regulators. This makes the NRC an attractive place for conducting cutting-edge research on the future of aerial transport.

Learn more!

How to Apply

Step 1: Contact the NRC's International Relations Office (contact person: Terrie Romano: munic.nrc-cnrc@international.gc.ca) to discuss the possibility of a research stay. This ensures that your planned stay aligns with the relevant research areas.
Step 2: Next, the NRC’s International Relations Office will connect you to the relevant research center so you can plan your stay with them.
Step 3: Submit your application through the following application portal.

Apply now!

Step 4: Your application will be reviewed by a selection committee. You will receive a notification regarding the outcome of your funding when a decision is made.

You can find more details about the application process here!