Tyto Robotics
Tyto Robotics is a Canadian aerospace technology company that develops propulsion testing equipment and software for unmanned aircraft, advanced air mobility, and research applications.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
Tyto Robotics is a Canadian aerospace technology company headquartered in Gatineau, Quebec. Formerly known as RCbenchmark, the company develops scientific testing equipment and software used to measure and analyze the performance of propulsion systems for unmanned aerial vehicles and other aircraft applications. Its customers include drone manufacturers, aerospace engineers, academic laboratories, and research organizations operating in multiple markets. The company originated in 2014, when Charles Blouin and Dominic Robillard were completing master's theses at the University of Ottawa. Their initial engineering problem was practical: they needed a compact thrust stand to evaluate the propulsion system of a drone helicopter under development. The resulting device became the basis for a commercial product, the Series 1580, which was formally released in 2015. This early product established the company's focus on instrumented, repeatable testing of motors, propellers, electronic speed controllers, and related propulsion components. Tyto's product portfolio has subsequently expanded from small propulsion test fixtures into larger thrust stands and associated analytical software. Its equipment is designed to capture measurements such as thrust and other propulsion-performance variables, allowing users to compare components, characterize systems, and conduct development or validation testing. The Flight Stand 150, introduced in 2022, extended the company's range to systems producing as much as 150 kilogram-force of thrust and incorporated software for real-time dynamic testing of motors and propellers. Flight Stand 500, released in 2024, increased the stated measurement capacity to 500 kilogram-force and was aimed at larger systems associated with advanced air mobility and electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft. The company has also broadened its software capabilities. In 2023 it added support for testing distributed electric propulsion systems, a configuration relevant to emerging aircraft architectures that use multiple electrically driven propulsors. In 2025 it introduced a motor and propeller balancing software module and launched Flight Stand 60 for testing internal-combustion engines used in unmanned aircraft. These developments indicate a strategy of serving both electric and combustion-based propulsion research rather than limiting the business to a single aircraft category. Beyond its own products, Tyto Robotics became the North American distributor for WindShape's wind tunnels and weather-simulation equipment through a 2020 agreement. This expanded its offering from propulsion measurement into environmental and aerodynamic testing infrastructure. The company therefore occupies a specialist position at the intersection of UAV engineering, aerospace instrumentation, laboratory testing, and emerging-aircraft development. Its business is primarily technical and research-oriented, with value derived from measurement accuracy, repeatability, software integration, and support for increasingly large and complex propulsion systems. Tyto Robotics has received public and sector-specific support for growth and research. In 2017 it received funding from the governments of Canada and Quebec to support marketing and expansion. In 2023, the Consortium for Research and Innovation in Aerospace in Quebec provided an investment for further research and development concerning large propulsion-system testing. Publicly reported awards and recognition have also highlighted the founders' mentorship and the company's innovation and export activity. The available reference material does not identify a parent company, public listing, chief executive, or separate ownership group.
History
Tyto Robotics was formed in 2014 by Charles Blouin and Dominic Robillard while the two were completing master's theses at the University of Ottawa. Their original project involved developing a drone helicopter and required a compact instrument for measuring the performance of its propulsion system. The resulting propeller thrust stand was commercialized under the RCbenchmark name and became the Series 1580, officially released in 2015. The business developed from a small-scale propulsion measurement product into a broader aerospace testing company. In 2017, it received $220,860 in funding from the Government of Canada and the Government of Quebec for marketing and expansion. The same year, co-founder Charles Blouin was recognized as mentor of the year by the Entrepreneurs' Mentorship Program of the Gatineau Chamber of Commerce. In 2020, the company entered an agreement with WindShape to distribute that company's wind tunnels and weather-simulation equipment in North America. This relationship expanded Tyto Robotics' commercial scope beyond thrust measurement and gave customers access to environmental testing equipment alongside propulsion instrumentation. The company continued moving toward larger and more sophisticated propulsion systems. In 2022 it launched Flight Stand 150, a thrust stand designed to measure up to 150 kilogram-force. Its software supported real-time dynamic testing of motors and propellers. The company's founders also received the Outaouais Regional Innovative Project Award from the Order of Engineers of Quebec in 2022. In 2023, the Consortium for Research and Innovation in Aerospace in Quebec invested $400,000 to support further research and development in testing large propulsion systems. Tyto Robotics also introduced software support for distributed electric propulsion testing, addressing aircraft designs that use multiple independently driven propulsors. Flight Stand 500 followed in 2024. With a stated capacity of up to 500 kilogram-force, it was designed for propulsion systems used in advanced air mobility and eVTOL aircraft. That year, Tyto Robotics was named a finalist for the Export Project of the Year Award by Investissement Quebec and Export Outaouais. In 2025, the company released Flight Stand 60 for testing internal-combustion engines used in UAVs and introduced a software module for balancing motors and propellers. Tyto Robotics also won the Jury's Choice Award at the Gilles-Demers Awards. Across its development, the company has retained a specialist focus on scientific measurement, propulsion characterization, and software-supported aerospace testing. The available material identifies the business as Canadian and active but does not provide details about its corporate ownership, public listing, or current executive structure beyond its two co-founders.
- 2025
Flight Stand 60 and balancing module released
[1]Tyto Robotics launched Flight Stand 60 for UAV internal-combustion-engine testing and released motor and propeller balancing software.
- 2024
Flight Stand 500 released
[1]The company released a thrust stand capable of measuring up to 500 kilogram-force for larger aircraft propulsion applications.
- 2023
Large-propulsion R&D investment
[1]CRIAQ invested $400,000 in research and development for testing large propulsion systems.
- 2023
Distributed Electric Propulsion support added
[1]The company introduced software support for testing distributed electric propulsion systems.
- 2022
Flight Stand 150 launched
[1]Tyto Robotics introduced a thrust stand rated for measurements up to 150 kilogram-force, with real-time dynamic testing software.
- 2020
WindShape distribution agreement
[1]The company became WindShape's North American distributor for wind tunnels and weather-simulation equipment.
- 2017
Government expansion funding
[1]Tyto Robotics received $220,860 from the Canadian and Quebec governments for marketing and expansion.
- 2015
Series 1580 released
[1]The company's original propeller thrust stand was formally commercialized as the Series 1580.
- 2014
Company founded
[1]Charles Blouin and Dominic Robillard formed the company while completing master's theses at the University of Ottawa.
Products and positioning
A specialist aerospace testing and instrumentation brand for UAV propulsion development, laboratory research, large propulsion systems, advanced air mobility, and eVTOL engineering.
Propeller thrust stand · 2015
Series 1580
Tyto Robotics' first commercialized thrust stand, developed from the founders' university project for testing a drone-helicopter propulsion system. The Series 1580 established the company's initial product focus on measurable, repeatable evaluation of propellers and related propulsion components.
Large propulsion thrust stand · 2022
Flight Stand 150
A thrust stand introduced for propulsion systems producing up to 150 kilogram-force. Its associated software supports real-time dynamic testing of motors and propellers, making the system suitable for development and characterization work on larger UAV propulsion systems.
Advanced propulsion thrust stand · 2024
Flight Stand 500
A high-capacity thrust stand released for systems producing up to 500 kilogram-force. It is aimed at large propulsion applications associated with advanced air mobility and electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft.
Internal-combustion-engine test stand · 2025
Flight Stand 60
A thrust-testing system introduced to support evaluation of internal-combustion engines used in unmanned aerial vehicles, extending the company's product coverage beyond electrically powered propulsion.
Engineering software
Propulsion testing and analysis software
Software associated with Tyto Robotics testing equipment supports propulsion measurement and analysis, including real-time dynamic testing of motors and propellers and, from 2023, testing of distributed electric propulsion configurations.
Engineering software · 2025
Motor and propeller balancing software module
A software module released in 2025 for balancing motors and propellers as part of propulsion development and laboratory testing workflows.
Wind tunnels and weather-simulation equipment · 2020
WindShape equipment distribution
Tyto Robotics distributes WindShape wind tunnels and weather-simulation equipment in North America under an agreement established in 2020. These products complement its own propulsion-testing systems with environmental testing capabilities.
Brand decisions
2024
Release the Flight Stand 500Product launchBackground
Advanced air mobility and eVTOL programs require testing infrastructure for substantially larger propulsion systems.
Action taken
Tyto Robotics released Flight Stand 500 with a stated measurement capacity of up to 500 kilogram-force.
Aftermath
The launch positioned the company to serve larger propulsion programs in advanced air mobility and eVTOL development.
2023
Invest in large-propulsion research and distributed electric propulsion supportStrategyBackground
Emerging aircraft designs increasingly use larger propulsion systems and distributed electric propulsion architectures.
Action taken
Tyto Robotics accepted a $400,000 CRIAQ investment for large-propulsion testing research and added software support for distributed electric propulsion testing.
Aftermath
The company expanded its technical focus toward advanced aircraft propulsion development.
Investment. $400,000 (2023)
2022
Launch the Flight Stand 150Product launchBackground
The company sought to support testing of larger UAV propulsion systems than its earlier products could address.
Action taken
Tyto Robotics released Flight Stand 150, designed to measure up to 150 kilogram-force and to support real-time dynamic motor and propeller testing.
Aftermath
The product extended the company's thrust-testing range toward larger unmanned-aircraft systems.
2020
Expand into environmental testing through WindShape distributionStrategyBackground
Tyto Robotics had established a business around propulsion measurement equipment and software for UAV and aerospace users.
Action taken
The company entered an agreement to distribute WindShape wind tunnels and weather-simulation equipment in North America.
Aftermath
The agreement broadened Tyto Robotics' offering into environmental and aerodynamic testing equipment.
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