Aviation

South Australian satellite Kanyini successfully launches into space

In an Australian first, South Australian owned and manufactured satellite Kanyini was successfully launched onboard a SpaceX rocket from the United States. Kanyini is the first State Government-funded satellite in the nation and was built by a local team of South Australian-based companies – SmartSat CRC, Inovor and Myriota. The $6.5 million mission is helping to create hi tech jobs in the state’s space sector and develop vital space capabilities in the State. Now that Kanyini is in orbit, the next milestone for the project is to establish stable communications through an operations centre located at Inovor Technologies in Lot Fourteen, Adelaide. Once fully commissioned, Kanyini will deliver critical space data for use by government and research institutions, particularly in the areas of sustainability and climate impacts. The research initiatives to be undertaken by Kanyini include early bushfire detection – with technology that can detect fires from space 500 times faster than traditional processing. The satellite will also support a program – led by South Australian Department for Environment and Water and Greening Adelaide – to sense urban heat islands in the state. Data collected by Kanyini will also be used to develop robust and trustworthy predictive AI capabilities that can accurately predict natural disaster events such as landslides and flooding, being led by Queensland University of Technology and European Space Agency Phi-Lab.

DroneShield Pyrmont Global Headquarters AUS MN

DroneShield triples sovereign defence R&D and manufacturing capacity to $400m with new global headquarters

Following DroneShield’s recent $115m capital raise, the new site in Pyrmont, NSW, cements and scales DroneShield’s fully sovereign R&D and manufacturing capabilities DroneShield (ASX:DRO) has opened its new headquarters, tripling its research and development (R&D) and manufacturing capacity to more than AU$400 million in hardware and software per year as the company works to convert a sales pipeline of over $500 million. The new site is located in Pyrmont, NSW, where the company’s 120 local staff are based. The facility includes a dedicated floor for high-tech R&D, engineering and manufacturing to fulfil orders from government, defence and commercial customers in 70 countries. Funded by DroneShield’s recent $115m capital raise ($30m of which is subject to shareholder approval), which positions DroneShield – with around $700m current market capitalisation – as the second largest publicly-listed defence company in Australia, the new headquarters enable the company to expedite the build-up of inventory to support strong demand from high-quality customer opportunities. This includes a pipeline of over $500m with more than 90 qualified projects at different stages and $27m in orders currently being fulfilled. “The threats that drones can pose are finally being taken seriously,” said Oleg Vornik, CEO at DroneShield. “Whether it’s due to the turmoil they can cause on the battlefield, or the countless ways they can disrupt everyday life – at airports, prisons and public events, for example – drone deterrence is now a priority for government agencies and authorities, in Australia and abroad. “We are seeing a major push for comprehensive counter-drone and counter-UAS capabilities – predominately from the US, but broadly across Five Eyes and allies, and slowly but surely in Australia. However, our equipment is sophisticated, AI based technology that can take up to four months to build, containing up to 200 components that must be manufactured, assembled […]

SmartSat and European Space Agency PIC AUS MN

SmartSat and European Space Agency’s Φ-lab to collaborate on Earth Observation Research

Adelaide – SmartSat Cooperative Research Centre (SmartSat), Australia’s leading space research centre, has signed a new agreement with European Space Agency’s (ESA) Φ-lab to collaborate on Earth Observation (EO) research. The European Space Agency’s Φ-lab is a world-leading research centre with a mission to accelerate the future of Earth Observation through transformational innovations and new technologies, including artificial intelligence (AI) and on-board processing. The agreement builds upon SmartSat’s existing relationship with Φ-lab, who supported cosine to develop the HyperScout imager payload. This payload is currently being integrated into the SmartSat-led South Australian Kanyini satellite, following consultations with Φ-lab regarding its Φ-sat-1 satellite mission. The synergies between these missions offer significant collaboration opportunities between SmartSat and Φ-lab regarding onboard intelligence for EO applications, creating a solid foundation for further research activities under the new agreement. SmartSat CEO Professor Andy Koronios, who signed the agreement in Rome, said, “We are delighted to embark on this new chapter of our partnership with ESA’s Φ-lab through this Letter of Intent. Our relationship with Φ-lab has been growing stronger over the past few years through our shared strategic research initiatives in the Kanyini and Φ-sat satellite missions. Φ-lab is at the forefront of Earth Observation technologies, and we are very proud to collaborate with them to further showcase Australian expertise on an international level. This is a testament to the progress we’ve made in our national space industry.” In the picture: (Simonetta Cheli, ESA Director of Earth Observation Programmes and SmartSat CEO Professor Andy Koronios). “We have also identified new collaboration opportunities between researchers at the University of Queensland and Φ-lab to develop advanced AI capabilities using hyperspectral satellite imagery. This will create the next generation of predictive intelligence that can forecast and monitor agricultural and environmental activities and disaster events with greater accuracy,” he added. As part of the new agreement, SmartSat and Φ-lab plan […]

New training for pilots

With growing concerns for safety in Private Aviation, a new start-up in South-East Queensland is using advanced technology and developing exciting new training techniques, with a mission to produce the safest private pilots in the industry. TEAM Aviation is a boutique flight school giving would-be pilots in the south east corner the opportunity to learn to fly on their own terms, utilising a fleet of high-tech Cirrus Aircraft – with each aircraft fitted with the Cirrus Airframe Parachute System (CAPS) – a rocket-propelled airframe parachute designed to save the lives of aircraft occupants in emergency situations. The decision to use Cirrus Aircraft aligns with the company’s ongoing commitment to safety, with Cirrus recently being publicly awarded for their efforts in reducing fatal aircraft accidents worldwide. Founder Alyce Johnson said in addition to improving safety, TEAM’s goal was to make learning to fly a smoother and more customer focused process, targeting business professionals who want to reduce travel time to meetings and conferences, and those who simply want to explore Australia on their own terms. “At TEAM Aviation we are changing the way things are done in the flight training industry – we travel to our members, have safe, luxurious Cirrus aircraft and we are building a network of like-minded aviation enthusiasts and experts,” said Ms Johnson. “We save members’ time by bringing the plane to a location convenient for them and by offering training packages which provide half-day and full day lessons structured and designed to maximise safety and learning.” TEAM Aviation has quickly grown to a staff of 9 passionate aviation professionals, all sharing a common goal of driving innovation in an industry renowned for being resistant to change. Through constant investment in world class aircraft and flight simulator technology and an unrelenting dedication to customer experience, TEAM Aviation […]

Fleet Space Technologies applies for a Federal MMI grant to build 50 nanosatellites a year

Adelaide satellite manufacturer Fleet Space Technologies has applied for a $5 Million Federal government Modern Manufacturing Initiative (MMI) grant so that it can jump from building three hand-built nanosatellites a year to mass-producing 50. Additional support from the South Australian government will supplement nearly $4 Million the company is raising itself. If the grant application is successful, Fleet Space will become a major satellite manufacturing hub and increase its payroll from 31 staff today to 128 by 2024, says its CEO and co-founder Ms Flavia Tata Nardini. Most of the new employees will be engineers and specialist satellite assembly technicians. Fleet Space has spent $12 Million since 2015 on R&D to develop the world’s most advanced beam-steering antenna and to miniaturise its satellites’ communications payload. These make it possible to deliver its Nebula space-based data network using a 10kg nanosatellite where previously this level of connectivity was only possible with a 100kg satellite. The company, which has already launched four nanosatellites, has applied for a $5 million grant under the Department of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources’ Modern Manufacturing Initiative (MMI) to help it make the jump. Fleet Space plans to build a new factory with more than double the space for R&D and manufacturing and has partnered with the University of Adelaide’s Institute of Photonics and Advanced Sensing, local company Redarc Electronics, Hawker Richardson in Melbourne and NSW-based Lintek to build the industrial capability to manufacture these nanosatellites in Australia. The Nebula service for utilities, mining and energy companies uses satellites to connect sensors monitoring critical infrastructure such as remote mine sites, alternative energy sites, gas pipelines and rurally dispersed electricity pylons with central base stations, 24 hours a day. This also allows operators to conduct geological surveys and operate unmanned vehicles such as drones remotely from a proper […]

Australian space experts focus on small sat technology

Australia’s rebooted space industry is positioning itself as a world leader in the development of smart satellites and associated technologies that will streamline communication, drive the Internet of Things, enhance Earth Observation and shape the defence forces of the future. The Australian Government backed SmartSat CRC – or Cooperative Research Centre – is playing a leading role during “Space Week” in the South Australian capital, which includes the 8th Space Forum (formerly South Australia Space Forum) and the 19th Australian Space Research Conference. Supported by the Australian Space Agency and the SmartSat CRC, the week began on Thursday. The 8th Space Forum is on at the Adelaide Convention Centre on Monday September 30 and includes a panel session hosted by SmartSat CRC Industry Director Peter Nikoloff about the opportunities and challenges facing Australia’s newest major space organisation. The 19th Australian Space Research Conference will be held on Tuesday and Wednesday (October 1 & 2). The A$245 million SmartSat CRC was awarded in April and has established a headquarters in Adelaide to co-ordinate its 99 industry and research partners. Nikoloff, who is also a co-founder of Adelaide-based defence and space company Nova Systems, said the panel discussion would focus on highlighting the research and application of intelligent technologies to space systems and opportunity for Australia’s growing space industry. He said the panel will seek to identify niche areas of autonomous systems and how the participating universities, industry and defence members could potentially exploit those opportunities. “The intelligent systems from our perspective aren’t just what’s on a spacecraft, we’re looking at the whole chain that goes from the spacecraft down to the ground stations and the applications of how that information is being presented,” Nikoloff said. Nikoloff said developing applications to process data and streamlining data transfer before sending it to Earth […]

Olympus helps keep the skies safe

Australian aircraft fly millions of kilometres each year, so it is imperative that the aircraft and engines are safe and airworthy at all times. One instrument that maintenance engineers regularly use to inspect the inside of aircraft engines, and so ensure optimal performance, is a videoscope. Remote Visual Inspection (RVI) of materials, components and structures allows engineers and technicians the ability to inspect internal surfaces and other features of an engine, motor or machinery. Videoscopes are used to carry out inspections without causing damage to delicate parts of an aircraft. Olympus—a world-leading manufacturer of optical, electronic and precision engineering products—has been at the forefront of videoscope development for many decades. A videoscope is an inspection instrument that consists of a small camera mounted on a length of cable. The camera can be controlled remotely by an operator while it is inserted in the cavity to be inspected. Modern videoscopes incorporate powerful LED light sources which are delivered through the tip of the probe, as well as motors to move the lens tip assembly. According to Sean Fogarty, Senior Sales Specialist at Olympus in Queensland, the greatest advances and improvements for videoscopes during the past two to five years have been in battery and LED technology. “Batteries are smaller and lighter so videoscopes continue to get smaller,” he said. “The limitations of original videoscopes were getting light into the area being inspected and the size of the power supply.” An Olympus videoscope is used to see if there are any signs of wear or damage and using a fine tip probe allows maintenance teams to inspect the insides of components and obscured parts of the fuselage for signs of cracking or fatigue. Aircraft maintenance from the inside Wayne Thomson, Technical Manager Asia Pacific with Dallas Airmotive, travels extensively throughout Australia and […]

New customised aviation reels for major airline

Reel Tech, exclusive partner of Hannay in Australia and New Zealand, has just rolled out a new line of customised Aviation reels to one of the world’s major airlines. The client required a customised aviation hose reel for an Oxygen and Nitrogen Recharging Cart. And a high pressure spring rewind hose reel was ideal for this application. Fitted was the patented Safe-R-Reel spring rewind speed reducer to protect operators and aircraft, and increase the service life of the hose, thus avoiding expensive, premature hose replacement costs. This resulted in a hose reel system guaranteed to endure the harshest conditions and deliver high pressure performance. The Safe-R-Reel is also the ideal solution for Remote Site Refuelling applications where an external power source is not available to rewind the reel. Proven in the world’s largest airports, Hannay Aviation reels have become an industry standard. The standard range includes Refuelling, Remote Site Refuelling, Oxygen and Nitrogen Recharging, Sensing, Static Grounding, and Airport Hydrant Fuelling Operations, Reel Tech offers cable and industrial hose reels for any aviation, airfield or airport application. Whether in the hangar or on the field, you can rely on their reels to improve productivity, increase safety, and keep your operation running smoothly. Standard finishes include stainless steel mill finish and high performance enamel in a wide range of colours.

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