AAUS is proud once again to recognise individuals and organisations that have made a significant contribution to the Australian uncrewed systems industry.

As in previous years AAUS received an amazing number of nominations for the 2024 awards, highlighting the strength and level of innovation that is taking place in our industry  All the finalists made impressive reading and we thank everyone for takling the time to nominate, the high standards made judging very difficult.

The judging panel for 2024 consisted of Warren Ludwig, Sue Keay and Greg Ferguson. 

This years awards were presented at the AAUS Gala Dinner held at Hotel Realm Canberra on the evening of March 5th, 2024

We congratulate the AAUS Industry Champions 2024.

The Leadership Award recognises individuals or organisations that lead the way with advocacy work that strives to improve the commercial and / or technological viability of the unmanned system industry.

The 2024 winner is Brendan Williams, Boeing. Brendan is a technical leader in all regards. He is self-less and tireless in his efforts to advance the industry in Australia and on the global stage. His work has led to significant changes to policy and rulemaking, technologies and operations; with many of the regulations today connected to ideas, initiatives and engagements he has led over the last 15 years.

Brendan Williams (Boeing)

 

The Innovation – technology Award recognises organisations that have developed drone technologies including drone systems or sub-systems that has had a significant positive impact for end users or the broader uncrewed systems industry.

The 2024 winner is Wildlife Drones in recognition for the development of the world’s first robotic radio-tracking drone system prototype and subsequently into a viable product in production now in its second generation (called a payload which attaches to several off the shelf drones). The innovative technology empowers land managers and wildlife researchers to track small animal movements like never before offering a much needed alternative to traditional animal tracking technology.

Wildlife Drones

 

 

The Innovation – Operations Award recognises organisations or individuals that has developed novel and innovative operational capabilities to benefit customers. 

The 2024 winner is Sensorem, in recognition for developing an innovative solution to address the significant damage caused by birds at CBH grain storage sites in Western Australia. By utilising drone-in-a-box technology and conducting remote BVLOS (Beyond Visual Line of Sight) operations, Sensorem has successfully developed a ground-breaking solution to tackle the persistent issue of bird damage at CBH grain storage sites across the Wheatbelt in Western Australia.

Ed Boxall (Sensorem)

 

The Education & Safety Award recognises individuals or organisations who demonstrate leadership in educating the unmanned systems industry with particular emphasis of developing a safety-focussed culture.

The 2024 winner is FPV Australia in regcognition for their outstanding Chief Remote Training Program.  By embracing the principles of accessibility, comprehensiveness, and practical relevance, the program not only equipped Pilots with the necessary technical skills but also instilled in them the leadership qualities essential for steering drone operations towards success. 

John Fleming and Angel Wong (FPV Australia)

 

The Social Impact Award replaces the Humanitarian Achievement Award and recognises 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.

The 2024 winner is AUAVS Shark Surveillance Program. SLSNSW Australian UAV Service's (AUAVS) Shark Surveillance Program, funded by NSW is of remarkable scale and has been instrumental in addressing a significant social and industry issue, while making a positive impact on the community. It has also been a true example of a lasting, community embedded UAV program, operated at scale by diverse members of the community.

Paul Hardy and SLSNSW Team (SLSNSW Australian UAV)

 

The NextGen Achievement Award recognises young individuals (under 35 yo) that demonstrate elite capability and leadership in their field within the uncrewed systems sector.

The 2024 winner is Isaac Palmer (DCCEEW). Isaac is an outstanding young professional who is being recognised for his advocacy efforts on behalf of industry

Isaac Palmer (DCCEEW)

 

The Diversity & Inclusion Award recognises individuals or organisations who have made an outstanding contribution to supporting diversity and fostering inclusion within the uncrewed systems industry.  

The 2024 winner is Sue Osborn (Skyshows/Mirragin) in recognition for her tireless efforts to create opportunities for people from diverse backgrounds and under represented groups to access, participate and succeed in our industry.  

Sue Osborn (Skyshows/Mirragin)

Analysis commissioned by Airservices Australia predicts the annual number of drone flights in Australian skies will surge from 1.5 million a year in 2023 to 60.4 million a year by 2043.

The report, Sizing the future drone and advanced air mobility market in Australia, was produced for Airservices to inform the ongoing discussion on how Australia can best prepare for and benefit from the increasing availability of drone technology. The report is now available to download from Airservice Australia's website

The exponential growth in drone traffic is expected to be driven by increasing demand from the transport and logistics sector, which is forecast to make up 77 per cent of the increase in drone traffic. The report also predicts that by 2043 Australian farmers will be making 500,000 drone flights annually to monitor crops, while drones will make 1.5 million food deliveries to Australian households.

Emergency services are also forecast to make increasing use of drone technology. More than 300,000 flights will be made annually to support frontline police and 80,000 flights in support of surf lifesavers, while 100,000 patients will be transported to hospital by a specialised new air ambulances.

Drones are already employed widely in Australian agriculture and mining operations, where they are used for operational monitoring, surveying and mapping. Several new market entrants are also delivering food and goods by drone, with more than 120,000 trips per year taking place already.

Electric air taxis are expected to make nearly 1 million flights in 2043, with providers targeting Australian launches to coincide with the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Brisbane.

Responsible for the safe and efficient use of Australian airspace, Airservices commissioned the scoping report to inform its future planning for uncrewed aircraft traffic management—a growing part of the aviation industry.

The report notes there is broad agreement among industry stakeholders that achieving and managing the increase in drone traffic will require an appropriate and responsive regulatory framework, and a willingness to work collaboratively to enable the safe and sustainable growth of uncrewed aviation.

“Airservices is building the technology foundations to support increasing drone and air taxi use in Australia, and key to that is collaboration between all stakeholders,” said Jason Harfield, Airservices Chief Executive Officer.

“Airservices’ no.1 priority is safety, and we look forward to working with industry, government and community to chart a course for next-generation technology in Australian skies.”

Luke Gumley, Airservices’ Head of Transformation Uncrewed Services, said: “Airservices is partnering with industry to deliver the backbone to a world-leading air traffic management system for drones which will support the safe and efficient integration of all aircraft including drones and air taxis into Australia’s increasingly busy airspace.

“The Flight Information Management System is being built using innovative digital and automated technologies, cyber resilience, and privacy as core foundations.

“To ensure open and transparent industry engagement, Airservices has drawn together key industry stakeholders to form the Uncrewed Services Advisory Network to enable us to better connect directly with drone and air taxi operators, and the wider aviation industry.​”

AAUS is supportive of this research as it highlights the potential for industry and the benefits drones can deliver to Australia providing all current barriers to regulation be effectively addressed. AAUS also supports the data driven approach taken by Airservices and the Australian Government to inform policy development and implementation.

AAUS is also part of Airservice Australia's Uncrewed Services Advisory Network (USAN) and plays an active role in the discissions around the opportunities and challenges of integrating Australia's airspace.

Following last week's AGM we are pleased to announce our AAUS Board election results. 

Congratulations to Keirin Joyce, Mitch Deam and Natasha Santha for their appointment to the AAUS board, and welcome back Leigh Simpson and Andrew Crowe. 

All five have been elected to the board for three year terms.

We would also like to recognise retiring board members Max Lye, Terry Martin and Andrew Duggan and thank them for their contributions and support during their time on the AAUS Board.

 

     

The Aviation Green Paper, released on 7 September 2023, marks an important stage in developing the Aviation White Paper which will set the policy direction for the aviation sector out to 2050.

Through the Green Paper, the Government is seeking feedback on aviation matters, including:

• airlines, airports and passengers – competition, consumer protections and disability access settings
• regional and remote aviation services
• maximising aviation’s contribution to net zero
• airport development planning process and consultation mechanisms
• general aviation
• fit-for-purpose agencies and regulations
• emerging aviation technologies
• future industry workforce
• international aviation

Submissions on the Green Paper will help to inform the development of the Aviation White Paper, to be released in mid-2024.

Read more on the Government's Aviation Green Paper.

Read more on the Government's Aviation White Paper

Since commenting on an earlier draft of this Remote ID discussion paper, AAUS has invested significant time and effort on activities to build a more considered position.  Activities have included a membership survey, discussion amongst AAUS membership advisory groups and other industry stakeholders.

Generally, support and feedback on the potential use of Remote ID was mixed and AAUS believes that this stems from an absence of a clear vision on what outcome we are trying to achieve with this technology and how it fits into the broader UTM and technology architecture. 

AAUS conclusions are:

• AAUS believes that in consultation with the broad aviation industry, the Australian Government and agencies needs to develop clear vision around a future airspace framework, airspace integration for drones (including the use of UTM) and drone use accountability to determine the most appropriate technical solutions to implement.

• This is a discussion that goes beyond the drone community and goes to the strategic direction of airspace and airspace traffic management for all airspace users. It is AAUS’ understanding that the Australian Future Airspace Framework is tasked to develop the strategic vision and roadmap for the Australian Airspace System – inclusive of considerations as it relates to drones, AAM, and alongside the needs of the existing aviation sectors, airports, and the ANSP.

• Before that stage, we recommend no action with respect to a Remote ID mandate.

• Remote ID may have a place in a future UTM ecosystem. 

• We do not believe that there is sufficient evidence to justify implementation of a Remote ID mandate in Australia based on accountability or security concerns.

• There are potential unintended consequences of a broad Remote ID mandate.

Read full AAUS Submission

In a move towards promoting environmental sustainability and responsible e-waste management, the Australian Association for Uncrewed Systems (AAUS) has become a supporter of the Battery Stewardship Scheme.

The Battery Stewardship Scheme, launched in collaboration with government and industry stakeholders, aims to address the growing concern of electronic waste and its impact on the environment. With the proliferation of battery-powered devices used in the uncrewed systems industry, AAUS's decision to give its support to the scheme is a positive movement in driving sustainable practices within the sector.

As the leading voice in advocating for the safe and responsible use of uncrewed systems, the AAUS represents a diverse community of organizations engaged in developing and deploying drones, autonomous vehicles, and other unmanned technologies across various sectors, including agriculture, logistics, environmental monitoring, and public safety.

The decision to join the Battery Stewardship Scheme underscores the AAUS's commitment to mitigating the environmental impact of discarded batteries. By doing so, the association seeks to encourage its member companies to take a proactive role in managing the life cycle of batteries used in their UAS and AAM systems, from procurement to disposal.

As part of the affiliation with the scheme AAUS will be able to provide members with resources and information to ensure that end-of-life batteries are collected, recycled, and properly disposed of in an environmentally friendly manner.

Scholarship Fund

Airservices Australia is proudly offering a $25,000 scholarships fund in support of Australia’s burgeoning uncrewed industry.

The scholarships, in partnership with AAUS, will foster greater participation and diversity in the uncrewed aircraft systems industry. Stay tuned for more details on how you can apply for the scholarships, set to be awarded later this year.
 

UAS Industry Market Analysis

Airservices’ Chief Executive Officer Jason Harfield said it was a privilege to speak at the conference on how the company is investing more than $100 million to deliver uncrewed services. Airservices is delivering a suite of digital and automated capabilities including the Flight Information Management System (FIMS), Airservices as a UAS Service Supplier (USS), drone surveillance and UAS geospatial data management.

To help Airservices Australia better understand the current state of the UAS industry and its projected growth, it has commissioned a market analysis. To register your interest, click here.


Uncrewed Services Advisory Network (USAN)

Airservices also announced the formation of the Uncrewed Services Advisory Network (USAN) to enable us to better connect directly with the aviation industry.

“The USAN will provide us with informed and objective high-level advice on current and emerging challenges and opportunities that may have implications for our delivery of services to uncrewed and advanced air mobility customers,” Mr Harfield said.

“Importantly, we want to ensure that our service delivery is appropriately matched to the industry’s evolving needs.”

Airservices is now calling for expressions of interest (EOI) to be on the USAN. We encourage attendees to register and to be part of our journey to deliver the future of airspace management in Australia.

AAUS is proud once again to recognise individuals and organisations that have made a significant contribution to the Australian uncrewed systems industry.

For the 2023 awards, over 70 nominations were received for the 7 award categories highlighting the strength of our rapidly developing industry.  The finalists made impressive reading and judging panel had a very difficult job in determining the winners.

The judging panel consisted of Warren Ludwig, Gregor Ferguson and Greg Tyrrell.

This years awards were presented at the AAUS Gala Dinner held at Hotel Realm Canberra on the evening of June 14, 2023.

We congratulate the AAUS Industry Champions 2023.

The Leadership Award recognises individuals or organisations that lead the way with advocacy work that strives to improve the commercial and / or technological viability of the unmanned system industry.

The 2023 winner is Melanie Olsen (Australian Institute of Marine Science) for her work as Project Director for ReefWorks (AIMS) in driving engagement and positive outcomes between operators of maritime autonomous systems and regulatory bodies in Australia.   Recently, ReefWorks has achieved regulatory approval for Australia's first sandbox for uncrewed systems testing.  Melanie's dedication and leadership in this space is creating a shift in industry engagement and will result in opportunities for SMEs to enter the industry, creating a stronger future for uncrewed systems in Australia. 

Melanie Olsen (AIMS)

The Innovation – technology Award recognises organisations that have developed drone technologies including drone systems or sub-systems that has had a significant positive impact for end users or the broader uncrewed systems industry.

The 2023 winner is AMSL Aero in recognition of their contributions to electric aviation, advanced air mobility and uncrewed systems.  Highlighted by their achievement of successfully hovering a full-scale prototype vehicle and the development of uncrewed subscale platforms, AMSL Aero is pushing the boundaries of aerospace.  Their pioneering work is redefining the industry, setting new standards in a rapidly evolving field.

Andrew Moore (AMSL Aero)

The Innovation – Operations Award recognises organisations or individuals that has developed novel and innovative operational capabilities to benefit customers. 

The 2023 winner is Boeing / QUT Air Risk Collaboration Team.  Boeing’s ATLAS Program and the Queensland University of Technology (QUT) joined in a collaboration to develop a data-driven, quantitative Mid-Air Collision (MAC) Risk Model and an associated process for generating high fidelity digital airspace risk maps. These maps are foundational to the completion of more accurate SORA safety assessments, design of airspace, route designs, and separation standards for AAM and UAS. Boeing and QUT are making this work available to global authorities for the benefit of all of industry. 

Brendan Williams (Boeing), Aaron McFadyen (QUT), Dr Guilherme Froes Silva (QUT) and Kelly Cox (Boeing).

The Education & Safety Award recognises individuals or organisations who demonstrate leadership in educating the unmanned systems industry with particular emphasis of developing a safety-focussed culture.

The 2023 winner is Hover UAV for implementing strategic programs to enhance safety in the drone industry, specifically focusing on Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) operations. Hover UAV recognised the need to address the challenges and risks associated with transitioning from VLOS flights to BVLOS in the rapidly evolving RPAS industry.

Nicola MacPhail, Phillip Grieve and Jackie Dujmovic (Hover UAV)

The Social Impact Award replaces the Humanitarian Achievement Award and recognises 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.

The 2023 winner is office of the Chief Remote Pilot (Department of Climate Change, Energy the Environment and Water) based on a system and a program of projects to deliver social benefits and impact across the country.  DCCEEW operates drones for numerous purposes throughout Australia and Antarctica to conserve, protect and sustainably manage Australia’s biodiversity, ecosystems, environment and heritage.

Isaac Palmer, Renee Bartolo and Luke Horjus (DCCEEW)

The NextGen Achievement Award recognises young individuals (under 35 yo) that demonstrate elite capability and leadership in their field within the uncrewed systems sector.

The 2023 winner is Tom Putland (CASA) for his tireless work to progress the regulatory environment in Australia and abroad, most notably with his work in JARUS. Tom’s involvement in JARUS includes being an Australian representative and key contributor to outcomes that benefit all of the RPAS industry since 2017.  He has also made significant contributions to progressing the understanding of airworthiness requirements for drones, detect and avoid design and test and evaluation guidelines, which when completed will be a significant enabler for more widespread BVLOS operations.

Tom Putland (CASA)

The Diversity & Inclusion Award recognises individuals or organisations who have made an outstanding contribution to supporting diversity and fostering inclusion within the uncrewed systems industry.  

The 2023 winner is Chris Warrior (Wiru Drone Solutions) a Kokatha/Wirangu man who is the founder/owner and Chief Remote Pilot of his 100% Indigenous owned business, Wiru Drone Solutions.  Chris has a strong community focus and extensive experience in facilitating Indigenous mentoring programs and is being recognised for his dedicated work in providing pathways into drone operations and STEM for young Indigenous people by offering drone education workshops.

Chris Warrior (Wiru Drone Solutions)

Australia’s airspace is expected to get busier and more complex with continued growth in conventional air traffic and the introduction of new airspace users like Advance Air Mobility (AAM) and Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS). 

To enhance the safety and efficiency of Australia's airspace system and provide a pathway to future integrated airspace operations involving RPAS and AAM, AAUS is advocating for broader use of electronic conspicuity (EC) devices.

 AAUS has engaged with its membership to develop a position paper.  Our next focus will be on working with other aviation sectors and government to find a path forward.

Read AAUS Position Paper

This week, Wisk and the Council of Mayors (South East Queensland) launched a joint opportunities paper that highlights the benefits Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) can bring to Queensland - including things like cutting down traffic congestion and connecting remote areas to important services.

Read more about their joint vision for how AAM can transform Queensland.