Drones Archives - InnovationAus.com

DroneShield raises $120m to fund R&D

Justin Hendry — Thu, 01 Aug 2024 05:20:55 +0000

DroneShield has raised $120 million to fund R&D for new counterdrone devices and continue its push into new markets, positioning the Australian defence technology company for future growth. The company announced the completed share placement on Thursday, reporting “strong support” from new and existing institutional and sophisticated investors following a pullback in its share price....

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‘Blue-listed’ US drones oust Chinese tech at Border Force

Justin Hendry — Mon, 29 Jul 2024 09:09:19 +0000

A fleet of Chinese-made drones grounded by Australia’s border agency over national security concerns have been swapped out for US-built technology vetted by the US Department of Defense. The new drones, which are poised to enter service in less than two months, will close a capability gap stemming from the agency’s decision to suspend and...

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Defence drops $100m on local and overseas drones

Justin Hendry — Mon, 15 Jul 2024 09:43:56 +0000

A new fleet of reconnaissance drones will be acquired by the Australian Defence Force under a $100 million-plus deal with Germany’s Quantum-Systems and Australia’s own SYPAQ Systems. The federal government announced the partnership with both firms on Monday, with the first of the 110 small uncrewed aerial systems (SUAS) expected to be delivered as soon...

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New DroneShield base tips R&D capacity past $400m

Brandon How — Tue, 04 Jun 2024 07:47:58 +0000

Counter drone tech manufacturer DroneShield has tripled its manufacturing and R&D capacity through the opening of its new Sydney headquarters. The new facility in Pyrmont takes DroneShield’s annual manufacturing and R&D capacity to more than $400 million worth of hardware and software per year, according to the local company, which is a growing supplier of...

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Defence earmarks $36bn for space and cyber spend

Brandon How — Wed, 17 Apr 2024 08:12:33 +0000

Defence will spend up to $36 billion on space, cyber, and electronic warfare capabilities over the next decade, according to the federal government’s new integrated investment program. The integrated investment program (IIP) was released alongside the National Defence Strategy at the National Press Club by Defence minister Richard Marles on Wednesday. The IIP represents planned...

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DroneShield signs NATO procurement agreement

Justin Hendry — Wed, 17 Apr 2024 02:49:34 +0000

Australian defence technology company Droneshield has signed the first ever counter-drone procurement agreement with NATO, opening the door to new contracts with nations from the military alliance in years to come. Shares in the ASX-listed company that develops non-lethal and non-kinetic countermeasure devices for drones soared almost 20 per cent following the announcement on Wednesday...

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Local firms score $5.2m for anti-drone Defence tech

Brandon How — Wed, 10 Apr 2024 11:42:05 +0000

Three Australian developers of counter robotic and autonomous systems have been awarded $5.2 million in contract after showcasing their technology at last year’s Army Innovation Day. The Department of Defence holds its Army Innovation Day (AID) each year, with last year’s event calling for counter aerial robotic and autonomous systems (RAS), counter ground RAS, and counter littoral...

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US firm acquires Australia’s Sentient Vision Systems

Brandon How — Mon, 08 Apr 2024 09:42:30 +0000

Victoria-based Sentient Vision Systems, a developer of advanced sensors, has been acquired by US defence drone and autonomous systems producer Shield AI. Pending regulatory approval, Sentient Vision Systems will join the newly established Shield AI Australia to continue development of its video detection and ranging (ViDAR) system, Sentient Observer. Sentient’s software systems, combining computer vision...

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AIM to deliver Defence’s first drone-killing laser

Brandon How — Mon, 25 Mar 2024 07:31:39 +0000

Melbourne-based AIM Defence has landed a $5.4 million contract for the sale of counter-drone lasers, representing the Australian Defence Force’s first acquisition of a prototype directed energy weapon for field trials. AIM Defence’s Fractl:2 laser is capable of burning through steel and can take out drones travelling at speeds of 100km/hour at a range of...

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NT’s drone innovation push takes off

Brandon How — Wed, 06 Mar 2024 06:40:15 +0000

The Northern Territory government is offering $100,000 in seed funding to establish a drone technology innovation cluster, a key initiative of its upcoming drone industry strategy. While the cluster was announced on Sunday, the Territory government released its draft drone strategy for consultation on Wednesday. It includes a focus on attracting additional industry investment as...

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