Orqa and RRS Launch $150 CAD Million Partnership

Croatian drone specialist Orqa has signed an exclusive partnership agreement with Canadian company Remote Robotic Systems (RRS). According to the agreement, the partners will expand production of Orqa systems and components in Canada to supply both domestic and export markets.

Canada is breaking new ground as the first non-European country to participate in the Security Action For Europe (SAFE) initiative, designed to increase the EU's sovereign defence capabilities and reflecting the shared ambition of both parties to deepen their defence ties and strengthen joint security cooperation. The agreement is a significant milestone for the Croatian drone developer, marking the first deployment of its new Defense Transformation Platform, designed to help countries build sovereign drone ecosystems.  It will deliver strong growth and value for Canada, beginning with an initial investment of $20 million CAD to expand RRS production facilities.

The deal itself is worth an estimated $150 million CAD over the next five years, and will create up to 100 new high-value technology jobs in Ottawa and Toronto by 4Q27. The partners confidently expect to scale to 1000 systems per month by mid-2027, with a target of 10,000 per month over the course of the agreement. The agreement was signed by Orqa co-founder and CCO Ivan Jelusic and RSS CEO Kevin Toderel, with Mark Carney, Prime Minister of Canada, and Andrej Plenković, Croatian Prime Minister, present, highlighting the significance of this deal.

“This MoU will formalize the strategic framework for cooperation between RRS and Orqa to co-develop, manufacture, and commercialize advanced defence technologies. The specific focus is on uncrewed systems, counter-drone capabilities, and AI integration. RRS is the leading supplier of these systems to the armed forces and first responders in Canada, making them our ideal partner. We are committed to helping our allies create sovereign defence capabilities, and this partnership is another step forward towards that goal,” Jelusic said.

“Orqa is the global leader in sUAS systems. We are proud to be able to build these systems in Canada and work with Orqa to increase capabilities and act as a supply chain and software development partner, bringing Canadian IP to the world. We aim to build Canadian capability and capacity for sUAS systems, ensuring Canada has ready access to this essential strategic resource now and in the future,” added Toderel.

According to the agreement, Orqa will facilitate the transfer of relevant technology and grant production licenses to RRS to enable localized Canadian manufacturing. The two companies will make joint development of solutions tailored to meet the evolving operational requirements of Canada’s armed forces, first responders, and allied NATO partners. They will also collaborate on the research, development, and integration of RRS’s sovereign AI capabilities onto mutually developed and manufactured platforms. Partners will develop RRS’s facilities as Orqa’s second North American manufacturing hub and primary export launchpad into the continent’s broader defence and commercial market.