Growing sovereign industrial base with 300 drones delivered to Defence

The Australian Defence Force is enhancing its sovereign uncrewed aerial system (UAS) capability with the acquisition of more than $1.5 million worth of Australian-manufactured drones. 

The drones have been developed and manufactured by Australian industry under Defence’s Sovereign UAS Challenge. 

In April 2024, AMSL Aero, Boresight and Grabba Technologies demonstrated their technology at a ‘fly-off’ managed by the Advanced Strategic Capabilities Accelerator (ASCA). 

Each Australian company secured a $2.2 million contract to grow their production capacity, finalise development of their prototypes to a production standard and produce 100 general-purpose drones. 

Three hundred units have now been delivered to the Australian Army, completing the final milestone of the challenge.  Defence is also acquiring additional units from across the three companies valuing over $1.5 million, with future orders planned. 

Small UAS are versatile and cost-effective platforms that provide near-real-time situational awareness at lower altitudes than larger surveillance alternatives. 

The Australian Government will invest $600 million of approved funding into the development and introduction of a range of cutting-edge airborne, surface, and subsurface drone systems over the next 10 years.

A further $4-5 billion of unapproved funding has been identified in the 2024 Integrated Investment Program for drone and counter-drone capabilities.

Quotes attributable to Head Advanced Strategic Capabilities Accelerator, Major General Hugh Meggitt:

“The modern battlespace and operating environment exemplify the fundamental necessity of UAS capability. The Sovereign UAS Challenge demonstrates ASCA’s ability to accelerate priority capability requirements for the Australian Defence Force.

“ASCA is enhancing the resilience of our sovereign industrial base. The Sovereign UAS Challenge has enabled and ensures AMSL Aero, Boresight and Grabba Technologies have the production capacity to supply drones at scale, as, if and when required.”