AAUS is proud to be hosting its 7th Industry Awards night to recognise individuals and organisations that have made a significant contribution to the Australian uncrewed systems industry. After an extensive judging period, we are excited to announce this year's finalists.
Finalists for 2025 are:
Leadership Award
The Leadership Award will recognise individuals or organisations that lead the way with advocacy work that strives to improve the commercial and / or technological viability of the uncrewed system industry.
- James Bassam (Australian UAV Service)
- Ed Boxall (Sensorem)
- Wayne Condon (Toll Uncrewed Systems)
- Derek Feebrey (Trendspek)
- John Fleming (FPV Australia)
- Mahmood Hussein (Global Drone Solutions)
- Fiona Lake (Rural Drone Academy)
- Clem Newton-Brown (Skyportz)
- Dr Ruth Patterson (Elysium EPL)
- Ben Westgarth (Department 13)
- Western Australia Police - Air Wing (RPAS Operations)
Innovation - Technology Award
The Innovation – Technology award will go to the organisation or individual that has developed drone technologies including drone systems or sub-systems. (eg. drone, payloads, avionics, powerplants, data exploitation systems) that has had a significant positive impact for end users or the broader uncrewed systems industry.
- Drone-Hand
- Freespace Operations
- Grabba Technologies
- RocketDNA
- Quickstep Holdings
- Sensorem
- SPARC AI
- Stratoship
- Toll Uncrewed Systems
- Trendspek
- V-TOL Aerospace
Innovation - Operations Award
The Innovation – Operations award will go to the organisation or individual that has developed novel and innovative operational capabilities to benefit customers. (eg. airspace integration, swarming, novel applications).
- Endeavour Energy
- Toll Uncrewed Systems
- Wash Drones
- Yarra Drones
Education & Safety Award
The Education & Safety Award will recognise individuals or organisations who demonstrate leadership in educating the unmanned systems industry with particular emphasis of developing a safety-focussed culture.
- Australian UAV Service
- Flight Safety Foundation (BARS Program)
- FPV Australia
- Global Drone Solutions
- Toll Uncrewed Systems
Social Impact Award
The Social Impact Award will recognise individuals or organisations who demonstrate a mission, capability or technology that has a positive impact on society or has focused on the betterment of the uncrewed industry as a whole.
- Australian Defence Drone Racing Associations
- Australian UAV Service
- Canberra Multirotor Racing Club
- Defence Intern Program
- Global Drone Solutions
- Toll Uncrewed Systems
Diversity & Inclusion Award
The Diversity & Inclusion Award will recognise individuals and organisations who have made an outstanding contribution to supporting deversity and fostering inclusion within the uncrewed systems industry.
- Australian UAV Service
- Luke Chaplain (SkyKelpie)
- Defence Intern Program
- Alana Flack (Trendspek)
- Global Drone Solutions
- Fiona Lake (Rural Drone Academy)
NextGen Achievement Award
The NextGen Achievement Award will recognise young individuals that demonstrate elite capability and leadership in their field within the uncrewed systems sector.
- Luke Chaplain (SkyKelpie)
- Doug Conn (Capability Acquisition and Sustainment Group)
- Marc Cook-Russell (Department 13)
- Andrew Davies (Taz Drone Solutions)
- Benjamin Harvey (Toll Uncrewed Systems)
- Oliver Heys (Australian UAV Service)
- Ben Mortensen & Rudi Browning (Profly Cinema)
- Dr Ashim Panta (Quickstep Holdings)
- Nelson White (RAAF)
Award Winners will be announced that the AAUS Gala DInner (held in conjunction with the RPAS in Australian Skies conference 2025) in Canberra on Tuesday June 17, 2025.
