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An Australian-owned company has secured partnerships to develop drone delivery capabilities for regional and remote communities.
Melbourne-based Gap Drone is partnering with Swinburne University’s Aerostructures Innovation Research (AIR) Hub, NOVA Systems, and the federal government’s iMOVE CRC on the project, which aims to build a working prototype within 15 months.
The start-up says its UAV systems will be able to carry payloads of 60 to 90kg at speeds of 120km/h, with a maximum range of 1,100km and fuel consumption of 21km per litre.
According to CEO and co-founder Liesl Haris, the drones will be able to carry goods including cargo, produce, parcels, and medical supplies to remote communities.
“As an Australian-owned company, we are looking to embrace the bountiful expertise, resources, and opportunities that Australia has to offer in the aviation, engineering, and logistics arenas, and put Australian drone technologies on the global map,” said Haris.
“Our drone delivery network will increase regular access to post, produce, and resources for remote Australian communities and First Nations communities, and we will do this while producing up to 85 per cent less carbon emissions than traditional road and air delivery transport options.
“We see this as a truly symbiotic relationship and we are proud of the strong backing and high-level partnerships we’ve seen at such an early stage, which speak to the strength of our model. Together, we are defining the future of safe autonomous drone operation capabilities in Australia.”
COO and co-founder Benet Hare added that the AIR Hub partnership will add engineering expertise to the project, with its engineers having previously worked on projects such as the Loyal Wingman MQ-28 and Airspeeder.
“AIR Hub has given us access to some of the country’s best and brightest in aeronautical engineering, and we are excited to roll out and launch our first prototype, using only the most advanced drone technologies and capabilities, in 2025,” said Hare.
A report from Airservices Australia in February predicted the country could see 60 million drone flights per year by 2043, with transport and logistics anticipated to make up 77 per cent of the increase in drone traffic.
Companies such as Wing are already making drone deliveries in some areas of the country, with Wing expanding services in Logan, Queensland, last year; currently, 120,000 drone deliveries of food and other goods are taking place per annum.
