Opinion: Seizing the golden opportunity in Australian innovation

If Boeing can see the potential, so too should everyone else. There’s no good reason why Australia should lag behind the USA or any other country in aviation innovation and development. While we might not yet be a multi-trillion-dollar economy, Australia is uniquely positioned financially, academically, and geographically to support this burgeoning industry well into the future.

Australia has grappled with the tyranny of distance since the beginning, and even today, we have one of the lowest population densities in the world. Because of this, aviation has been a cornerstone of Australia’s economy and way of life since the first airmail run began in 1914. Today, hundreds of remote communities and thousands of people rely on reliable air transport and freight for essential goods and services.

Given our unique reliance on aviation, it’s no surprise that, with the support of the federal government and world-leading university programs, our country is proving to be a leader in futuristic and sustainable aviation technologies. We might be a small, relatively isolated economy, but we’re a mighty one – Australia is the 12th-largest global economy despite housing just 0.33 per cent of the world’s population. Over the last 30 years, our economy has grown at a faster pace than the global average, and that trend is expected to continue.

Today’s global operating environment, particularly in the Northern Hemisphere, is incredibly uncertain and only becoming more so. Numerous ongoing global conflicts, along with their significant human costs, are causing constant and unpredictable disruptions to markets, energy resources, and supply chains worldwide.

Here in Australia, we’re well-connected to the nations, economies, and supply chains of the Asia-Pacific – far away from the active conflicts of today. Companies like ours are capitalising on these geographical advantages by strengthening manufacturing partnerships within the Asia-Pacific region to maintain tight supply chains that are less likely to be severely disrupted.

Meanwhile, our regulator, CASA, has consistently demonstrated a willingness and ability to collaborate with industry, including companies like ours, to encourage innovation in a safe and controlled environment. With the opportunities available here in Australia to develop a future-proofed industry, CASA should be prepared to set an example to the rest of the world in supporting next-generation technologies and infrastructure.

Filling in the gaps

While Boeing and the Loyal Wingman project have made great strides, there’s a huge gap in the market for Australian companies to step up, be innovative, and disrupt international markets using local knowledge and engineering.

Companies like ours are eager to fill that gap and show the world that Australia is a powerhouse of ingenuity and technology. At the same time, we’re looking to grow Australia’s economy by addressing the gaps in the supply chain that connect Australia’s biggest cities to its smallest towns – the same gaps that deny essential infrastructure and resources to some of our most isolated communities and hold back the prosperity of regional cities.

Within 11 months, we will begin flight testing on our proof-of-concept uncrewed prototype drones, to launch initial operations, delivering cargo, produce, parcels, and medical supplies to Australia’s most remote communities, as soon as CASA allows – all while reducing carbon emissions by up to 85 per cent compared to traditional road and air transport.

We’re providing an Australian solution to an age-old Australian problem and seizing the opportunities available to us in our backyard during this age of excellence and innovation. We know that Australia has every resource it could need to develop and produce sustainable innovations in long-range drone technology and revolutionise air freight globally. We also want to work with CASA to set a new global precedent for drone logistics operations that regulators like the FAA and CAA can follow.

We’re not alone in striving to create a booming new-age aviation industry that is fit to lead the world. However, if any of us are going to succeed against the larger economies, we need to encourage meaningful investment in Australian projects. Right now, there’s an opportunity to tap into the wealth of experience and knowledge in aviation, technology, and logistics that’s abundant Down Under. All we need now is for Australians to support local initiatives.