Robotics & Drones Machining

VisionForge machines precision components for robotics companies, UAV / UAS OEMs, and Canadian defence UAS programs — airframe structures, gimbal and sensor housings, robotic end-effectors, and motor and payload interfaces. 2025 Matsuura MX-520 simultaneous 5-axis. Fanuc Robodrill α-T14iAL. Climate-controlled facility at 20°C ±1°. ±0.0001" in-house. Canadian-owned, Mississauga, Ontario. AS9100D in process. CGP registration under Government of Canada review.

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Who this page is for

This page is for commercial UAV and UAS OEMs, Canadian defence UAS primes and tiered suppliers, and robotics integrators who need precision-machined components built to aerospace documentation standards. We don't design airframes or write flight control. We machine the structural and functional parts that go on them — to print, with the traceability aerospace and defence programs require.

Hobbyist and consumer drone work isn't our fit. We're built around precision, traceability, and the documentation discipline that commercial and defence UAS programs expect.

Why UAV / UAS programs choose a 5-axis shop

Drone and robotics parts tend to share a profile: thin walls, compound angles, weight-critical structures, and features that don't survive multiple setups cleanly. Simultaneous 5-axis on the MX-520 lets us machine airframe ribs, gimbal bodies, and motor mounts in a single setup instead of four — which is the difference between holding positional tolerance on a feature and chasing stack-up errors across fixtures.

  • Simultaneous 5-axis on the Matsuura MX-520, 20k RPM spindle, 1 micron repeatable accuracy. Compound-angle structures, thin-wall geometries, kinematic gimbal bodies.
  • Palletized 3-axis on the Fanuc Robodrill α-T14iAL. Production-volume brackets, interface plates, and mounting hardware.
  • Climate-controlled thermal environment at 20°C ±1°. No thermal drift across a shift on 7075-T6 or titanium.
  • Weight-critical materials in-house. 7075-T6 aluminum, Ti-6Al-4V, 2024 aluminum — machined under the same quality system as our aerospace work.
  • Partner precision grinding (ISO 9001) for bearing seats, gimbal reference surfaces, and flatness-critical features.
  • Partner CMM inspection to ±0.0002" with reports delivered with the parts.

Typical parts we machine for UAS and robotics programs

  • UAV / UAS airframe ribs, frames, and structural brackets in 7075-T6 and Ti-6Al-4V
  • Motor mounts, ESC plates, and propulsion-system interfaces
  • Payload interface plates and gimbal mounting structures
  • Two- and three-axis gimbal housings and yokes
  • Sensor housings — EO/IR, LiDAR, and multispectral payload enclosures
  • Camera and optical mounts where thermal stability matters (Invar 36 on request)
  • Robotic end-effectors, gripper bodies, and EOAT interface plates
  • Vision-system mounts and servo-motor brackets
  • Ground-control and test-rig fixtures, jigs, and calibration tooling
  • First-article prototypes through low-volume production, 10–500 piece orders, with FAI on request

Materials we run for UAS and robotics

  • 7075-T6 aluminum — highest strength-to-weight of our regular aluminums. Airframe structures, EOAT bodies, load-path brackets.
  • 6061-T6 aluminum — workhorse for non-load-path brackets, mounting hardware, fixture plates.
  • 2024 aluminum — where fatigue strength drives the material selection.
  • Ti-6Al-4V titanium — gimbal hard-points, high-cycle pivots, corrosion-resistant structural parts. See titanium machining.
  • Invar 36 — thermally stable mounts for optical and EO/IR payloads.
  • 17-4 PH stainless — heat-treated shafts, pivots, and load-bearing features. See 17-4 PH machining.
  • Engineered plastics — G10, PEEK, Acetal for insulating brackets, test-stand fixtures, and non-metallic payload interfaces.
  • Carbon composite interfaces — we machine the metallic inserts, bonded fittings, and interface hardware. Composite layup is handled by a qualified partner per the print.

Material certifications on request, traceable to the mill. Anodising (Type II and Type III), chromate conversion, and black oxide are managed through qualified partners per the drawing, with the part returning to us for final inspection before shipping.

Quality system and documentation

  • Tolerance: ±0.0001" in-house on both machines.
  • Partner CMM inspection: ±0.0002" through an ISO 9001 partner. Reports delivered with the parts.
  • FAI: AS9102 first-article inspection on request.
  • PPAP-level documentation: on request for OEM approved-supplier programs.
  • Cert status: AS9100D in process. ISO 9001 partner operations. CGP registration under Government of Canada review. Designated Official exam passed. We update Quality & Certifications the week each registration is awarded — never before.
  • Canadian content. Canadian-owned and Canadian-operated for programs with Chapter 19 aerospace content or defence Canadian-content requirements.

Defence UAS and controlled-goods work

For Canadian defence UAS programs involving controlled technical data, CGP (Controlled Goods Program) registration is under Government of Canada review. The Designated Official exam has been passed. Until registration is confirmed, we're transparent about the status and will update our Quality & Certifications page the week it's awarded. If your program requires CGP in hand before RFQ, we'll tell you up front — we don't stretch cert language.

How to engage

  • Send a drawing or STEP file. PDF plus 3D model. We quote from GD&T, not photos.
  • NDA before drawings. Signed before any print or STEP file changes hands, on request.
  • DFM feedback during quoting. Thin-wall fixturing, compound-angle tool access, plating routing, and grinding-partner handoffs flagged before first article.
  • Single accountable contact. RFQ, first article, production, re-orders — one person. Founder-led shop.
  • Prototype-to-production on the same machine. First article and follow-on production stay on the same spindle, same fixture, same operator.

Request a quote.

Response within 24 hours on most RFQs. Get a Quote

FAQ

Do you build drones or design airframes?

No. We machine precision components to your drawings and STEP files — airframe structures, gimbal bodies, sensor housings, motor mounts, end-effectors. Design and system integration stay with you.

Can you machine 7075-T6 for thin-wall UAV airframe structures?

Yes. 7075-T6 is a regular material for us, and simultaneous 5-axis on the MX-520 is well suited to thin-wall, compound-angle structures in a single setup.

Are you AS9100D certified?

AS9100D certification is in process. We run AS9100D-aligned quality disciplines today and will update our Quality & Certifications page the week certification is awarded.

Can you take on controlled-goods defence UAS work?

CGP registration is under Government of Canada review. The Designated Official exam has been passed. We will update the Quality page when registration is confirmed. If your program requires CGP in hand at RFQ, we'll tell you up front.

Do you support Canadian-content requirements?

Yes. Canadian-owned and Canadian-operated, Mississauga, Ontario. Suitable for Chapter 19 aerospace content and defence Canadian-content requirements.

Can you handle plating and anodising for UAV components?

Type II and Type III anodising, chromate conversion, and black oxide are handled through qualified partners per the drawing. We schedule the handoff, manage the routing, and the part returns to us for final inspection before shipping.

Do you machine titanium for gimbal structures and high-cycle pivots?

Yes. Ti-6Al-4V is one of our regular materials. See titanium machining.

Do you work with hobbyist or consumer drone builds?

We're built around commercial UAV / UAS OEMs, robotics integrators, and Canadian defence UAS programs that need precision, traceability, and aerospace-grade documentation. Hobbyist and consumer drone work isn't our fit.