In a new seasonal service, American will fly three times per week between Brisbane and LAX, complementing Qantas’ existing route, starting 5 December and continuing until the end of January.

In an update on Sunday, the Queensland-based firm said it had received approval from the regulator and is now waiting for final clearance from the Australian Space Agency. Gilmour had said it was likely to conduct its maiden blast-off in April, a delay from mid-March.

From December, Qantas will operate non-stop A330-200 services from Perth to Auckland and Johannesburg, adding more than 155,000 seats per year and bolstering the airport’s role as the Flying Kangaroo’s western hub.

The Northrop Grumman-manufactured high altitude, long endurance, remotely piloted aircraft system, labelled online as United States military A57-002 (similar aircraft pictured), arrived at RAAF Base Tindal in the Northern Territory earlier this week.