Story and Photos By: Laura Hunter
Carleton University and Ericsson Canada are thrilled to announce the opening of the Ericsson-Carleton 5G Drone Lab. On June 24, the Ericsson-Carleton University Partnership for Research and Leadership in Wireless Networks held an official inauguration event, including a first-hand tour of the cutting-edge technology shaping the future of advanced autonomous navigation.
Government, industry, and media representatives attended the event which offered a comprehensive overview of 5G wireless technology advancements and their transformative potential across various sectors, such as telecommunications, transportation, and public safety.
Speakers including Rafik Goubran, Vice-President (Research and International), Carleton University, Marcos Cavaletti, Senior Advisor and Head of Ottawa Site, Ericsson Canada, and Chancellor’s Professor Ioannis Lambadaris, the Ericsson Chair in 5G Wireless Research provided insights into the lab’s research focus. Using a 5G wireless network to control drones remotely, researchers are advancing solutions for real-world challenges from delivering packages to exploring environments unsafe to humans.
The 5G Drone Lab, housed within the Ericsson-Carleton Mobile Wireless Lab in the Advanced Research and Innovation in Smart Environments (ARISE) building, is the first university lab in Canada with an Ericsson Indoor 5G RDS network, and the only place in Canada where graduate students and researchers have access to a private standalone 5G network.
The Ericsson-Carleton Mobile Wireless Lab, established in 2022, plays a significant role in developing and disseminating the partnership’s research. The new 5G Drone Lab is the next step for our collaboration to advance innovative wireless communications solutions.
– Rafik Goubran, Vice-President (Research and International), Carleton University
Earlier in the day, Carleton faculty members and graduate students conducting research with Ericsson Ottawa staff showcased their progress more broadly at the third annual TechTalks Ericsson-Carleton Symposium. Led by Ericsson Ottawa Digital Design Manager, Aroosh Elahi, and Ericsson Chair in 5G Wireless Research, Professor Lambadaris, researchers presented outcomes of a top selection of ongoing wireless communications projects.
“The event, presentations, followed by the drone lab opening and demos have been excellent examples of industry-academic collaboration between Ericsson and Carleton University. The private 5G network deployment at ARISE lab is a significant step in building a strong Canadian ecosystem for next-generation technology.”
– Saurav Bhatia, Program Manager, Ericsson Canada
Currently, the partnership engages over 20 researchers working closely with Ericson on innovative projects under the leadership of Professor Lambadaris. Over 550 students have completed co-op placements or joint research projects. Researchers are studying areas important to the development of 5G networks such as machine learning, drone navigation and channel optimization.
See the partnership’s latest developments in the Ericsson-Carleton University Partnership Impact Report.
The Ericsson-Carleton University Partnership
Since 2020, the multimillion-dollar program, Ericsson-Carleton University Partnership for Research and Leadership in Wireless Networks has worked to attract and retain talented individuals, promote and enhance research synergy, and establish training in an energetic industry and academic environment. The Carleton University partnership is a key pillar of Ericsson Ottawa Research and Talent Development programs for creating wireless technology leaders.
Originally published by Carleton University.
