The capabilities can be deployed as a complement to Australia’s crewed systems, and are scheduled for delivery in 2025. It comes as the Albanese government has earmarked more than $10 billion on expenditure for uncrewed systems.

The airline currently operates 24 round trips per week from Perth to Mt Keith and Perth to Leinster on behalf of BHP Nickel West, effectively occupying two of its Fokker 100 aircraft full-time.

More than 16.1 million passengers used the airport in FY24, breaking the previous record of 14.9 million in FY14. The airport also saw its highest ever number of regional passengers, at just over six million – outstripping interstate at 5.7 million and international at 4.3 million.

The QF33/34 service to Paris will initially operate four times per week return – dropping to three from mid-August – using Qantas’ 787-9 Dreamliners, with the inaugural 17-hour 20-minute flight departing Perth aboard VH-ZNB at 2:41pm on Friday, 12 July.