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Defence Research and Development Canada (DRDC; , RDDC) is the science and technology organization of the Department of National Defence (DND), whose purpose is to provide the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF), other government departments, and public safety and national security communities with knowledge and technology. DRDC has approximately 1,400 employees across seven research centres within Canada.

After the First World War, national research and development in Canada was organized under the National Research Council (NRC). The NRC was founded in 1925 based on a wartime British recommendation to establish military laboratories in Canada, but by that time the main priorities were developing domestic university and industrial research and civilian projects. Greater interest in military applied research arrived in 1935 when Major General Andrew McNaughton became President of the NRC. In the period before the Second World War, the NRC undertook research in radar, aviation medicine, artillery, aircraft, gas masks, and metallic magnesium production. Chalmers Jack Mackenzie became acting President at the onset of the Second World War when McNaughton assumed an operational command within the Canadian Army,

Following the fall of France in June 1940, the NRC assumed control of all Canadian scientific research and became responsible for applying it toward military applications. Laboratories and facilities were established by the NRC and the Canadian Armed Forces; biological and chemical warfare laboratories cooperated closely with Allied counterparts. In 1944, Chalmers Mackenzie and the armed forces began considering the issue of post war military research, and concluded that a separate military research organization was required. The result was the creation of the Defence Research Board (DRB) within the Department of National Defence (DND) in April 1947, which took over coordinating defence research from the NRC and advising DND on scientific matters. The overall organization of defence research continued to mimic the NRC. The DRB was—as envisioned by proposals in 1945—an interim solution; creating an organization within DND required minimal political action compared to creating a new government department that would subsume both the NRC and defence research. Omond Solandt was the first Chairman of the DRB. The DRB received seven existing NRC facilities. The DRB was the last part of DND to adapt to the unification of the Canadian Armed Forces of 1968. DRB began transitioning to the new structure in 1974, and dissolved in 1977. Six of the seven DRB research establishments were transferred to the newly created Defence Research and Development Branch (DRDB) of the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF). In the 1990s, budget cuts and the complexity of greater reliance on cheaper contracting drove a review of the organization of defence research. In 2000, the DRDB was replaced by Defence Research and Development Canada (DRDC) which was–like the DRB before–a DND agency.

Decompression Tables (DCIEM Sport Diving Tables) that are now used worldwide and have been adopted by foreign navies, commercial diving companies, and civilian organizations to reduce the risk of decompression illness, once commonly called "the bends." Canadian Underwater Mine Countermeasures Apparatus (CUMA) is a new diver mine countermeasure (MCM) diving set with a depth capability of 80 metres, as well as being anti acoustic and anti magnetic. The STInG (Sustained Tolerance to INcreased G) system, which provides G protection for pilots, superior to any current operational system. Virtual reality simulator for helicopter deck landing to simulate the dangerous task of landing a helicopter on the moving deck of a ship. Clothe the Soldier project provided human engineering support to the Army's acquisition of over 24 new items of state of the art soldier protective clothing and personal equipment. Load Carriage Robot – an instrumented articulated manikin that mimics the movement of the human torso. A Cold Exposure Survival Model (CESM) used in Search and Rescue (SAR) Operations. A Heat Stress Calculator for firefighters used throughout Ontario. The New Wind Chill Equivalent Temperature Chart, used throughout North America.

The Centre for Operational Research and Analysis (CORA) was originally made up of various Defence Operational Research directorates (DLOR for Land, DMOR for Maritime, DAOR for Air, DStratA for Strategic, etc.). CORA provides scientific rigour to decision support and option analysis to the Department of National Defence, the Canadian Armed Forces, and Canadian security partners. The centre delivers options, recommendations, and potential outcomes to key decision makers by providing timely quantitative and qualitative analysis reports and objective expert advice.

The DRDC Centre for Security Science operates in partnership with Public Safety Canada. It conducts research and development activities in the field of public safety and security science and technology as well as related testing and assessment activities. The Centre identifies trends in security technology and related threats, and maintains a network of national and international science and technology experts and partners involved in public safety and security. The Centre also leads the Canadian Safety and Security Program and the Emergency Responder Testing and Evaluation Establishment.

Defence Research Establishment Pacific (DREP) was closed in 1994. It was located in Naden, Esquimalt, a suburb of Victoria, BC, and was originally called the Pacific Naval Laboratory (PNL). DREP was engaged in a variety of research areas. One group did materials research. Materials subgroups included one for Non Destructive Testing of materials including ultrasound, x ray, and eddy current methods; a composite mechanics subgroup working on interlaminar fracture (delamination) of composite laminated structural materials and bolted joint mechanics research for composites; and a metals fracture subgroup. Other groups worked on submarine detection, adhesives chemistry, and engine health monitoring.

Over the years, researchers at DRDC, sometimes in partnership with the NRC and others, have been responsible for numerous innovations and inventions of practical application in the civilian world. These include the G suit, motorized wheelchair, the Alouette 1 satellite, Black Brant rocket, improvements to the carbon dioxide laser, flight data recorder, the Ballard fuel cell membrane, and the Bombsniffer (using gas chromatography and ion mobility spectrometry).