Defence & Aero News

Fleet Space Tech extends Adelaide HQ

Fleet Space Technologies marked the official opening of its extended Adelaide HQ with the visit of Susan Close MP, Deputy Premier of South Australia. Ms Close also holds the ministerial portfolios of Minister for Climate, Environment and Water, Minister for Industry, Innovation and Science and Minister for Defence and Space Industries.

Fleet Space Technologies has significantly grown its presence in Adelaide to accommodate rapid growth. This includes doubling in the number of highly skilled jobs in the last six months. Fleet now employs 86 individuals across space engineering, manufacturing, commercial and operations functions. The expansion follows the highly successful introduction of ExoSphere, Fleet’s satellite enabled earth scanning technology for the global mineral exploration industry. It is already revolutionising the way Australian and global mineral explorers find the critical energy transition materials required to meet surging global demand for Electric Vehicles (EVs). ExoSphere has reported successful results from trials at Australia’s newest Lithium miner Core Lithium’s Finniss Project in the Northern Territory. This technology is being rolled out globally through collaboration with the world’s largest and most progressive explorers. From its base in Adelaide, Fleet has pioneered the use of additive manufacturing (3D printing) to drive cost and production efficiencies in the manufacture of satellites. This includes Fleet’s forthcoming planned constellation of 288 microsatellites, including Alpha, which will integrate the company’s advanced beamforming technology and patented antennas to unlock greater connectivity more quickly and in more locations.

Rolls-Royce first run of a modern aero hydrogen engine

Rolls-Royce and easyJet confirmed they have set a new aviation milestone with the world’s first run of a modern aero engine on hydrogen.

The ground test was conducted on an early concept demonstrator using green hydrogen created by wind and tidal power. It marks a major step towards proving that hydrogen could be a zero-carbon aviation fuel of the future and is a key proof point in the decarbonisation strategies of both Rolls-Royce and easyJet. Both companies have set out to prove that hydrogen can safely and efficiently deliver power for civil aero engines and are already planning a second set of tests, with a longerterm ambition to carry out flight tests. The test took place at an outdoor test facility at MoD Boscombe Down, UK, using a converted Rolls-Royce AE 2100-A regional aircraft engine. Green hydrogen for the tests was supplied by EMEC (European Marine Energy Centre), generated using renewable energy.

Swinburne takes to the skies with a hydrogen drone

Swinburne’s Aerostructures Innovation Research Hub (AIR Hub) will develop and trial Australia’s first hydrogen propelled drone, thanks to a $1.3 million grant from the Australian Government’s Emerging Aviation Technology Partnerships program.

The Hydrogen to the Skies (H22S) project will design and integrate a new hydrogen propulsion system into a large-scale drone, working with Australian partners to help spearhead the commercial development of clean, zero emissions uncrewed air systems. The first prototype is expected to be completed before the end of 2023. AIR Hub Director Dr Adriano Di Pietro said the project would have significant impacts for Australian industry, with the potential for millions of dollars in technology export revenue by the early 2030s. “With long range, zero carbon emissions and a low noise footprint, hydrogen powered air vehicles represent the future of environmentally sustainable and socially responsible advanced air mobility,” Dr Di Pietro says. “We are proud to be putting Australia at the cutting edge of this rapidly growing industry and improving outcomes for regional and remote communities across the country and the world”. Hydrogen propulsion is projected to be a critical turning point for advanced air mobility in regional Australia because it significantly extends range and payload options, compared with pure battery electric propulsion systems. The project will demonstrate how hydrogen propulsion can be commercially deployed, paving the way for the regulatory and operational developments needed to better connect regional communities.

Valiantly heading into orbit

Brisbane start-up company Valiant Space, which has been supported by the Queensland Government’s Advanced Robotics for Manufacturing (ARM) Hub, is sending locally-made components into orbit, onboard SpaceX, from the Kennedy Space Centre at Cape Canaveral.

Minster for Regional Development and Manufacturing Glenn Butcher said the components going into space were a first for an Australian company. Valiant Space co-founder and CEO Andrew Uscinski, 24, said one of the challenges for new businesses in the space industry was the need to validate product by successfully launching it into space. “We’ve developed Australia’s first in-space chemical thruster for satellites made with non-toxic propellants, and right now our focus is proving it can withstand orbit,” Mr Uscinski said. The first step in this validation process will occur on a valve that is an integral part of Valiant’s thruster, which will be sent into orbit with SpaceX on board Australian space services company Skykraft’s rideshare service. Once the valve demonstrates it can survive a violent launch, 6-G gravitational force, extreme vibrations, and a wide range of temperatures on its journey into space, Valiant Space’s full thruster will be launched on a subsequent orbital mission in mid-2023. Valiant’s young team of three, Mr Uscinski, fellow co-founder and Chief Technical Officer, Michael Douw, and lead engineer Benjamin Dodd, are mechanical and aerospace engineers who met at the University of Queensland and started their company while they were students. The Valiant team identified a gap in the market for space propulsion options that used nontoxic propellants. “Existing options are made from very carcinogenic and difficult-to-handle chemicals which makes them very expensive because of all the development costs,” Mr Uscinski said. “Our thruster runs on nitrous oxide and propane – like what you would use in a barbecue, but slightly more pure, which gives a comparable performance to the toxic options, but without the need for high-cost handling infrastructure.” The thruster is mounted on the spacecraft to provide the main propulsion system for the satellite and enables companies to perform fast-acting orbit raising and collision avoidance manoeuvres. “It means satellites can come online quickly, and they stay in their optimal orbit and last longer in space,” Mr Uscinski said.

$18m for emerging aviation technology

The Australian Government has partnered with industry to ensure the take-up of emerging aviation technology in Australia, with more than $18 million awarded for 12 projects under the first round of the Emerging Aviation Technology Partnerships (EATP) program.

The EATP program commits $32.6 million to June 2024 to make Australian aviation more competitive, efficient and sustainable. The remaining funding will be allocated as part of Round 2. Grants supported under Round 1 of the program support a range of projects that include development into digital farming, boosting regional supply chains, connecting regional communities and growing manufacturing in emerging aviation technology. Applications were assessed through an open and competitive grant process.

AMSL Aero – NSW

Electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft manufacturing focusing on regulatory barriers and trials of air ambulance in regional NSW.

Praxis Labs – SA

Develop structural solar surfaces for the wings of an upcoming fleet of Australian electric aircraft.

Hover UAV - SORA-Mate – All States

Develop an online risk assessment tool for drone operators.

Central QLD University – QLD

Develop and trial a prototype drone system capable of AI driven weed detection and herbicide spraying (digital farming).

Wedgetail Aerospace Pty Ltd – WA

Large Drone operations in regional Australia including pilot and maintenance qualifications, capability verification and validation.

Charles Darwin University – NT

Trial of drone service delivery for health-related items between health centres, remote indigenous communities and very remote outstations in NT. The project will test and validate the effectiveness, efficiency, community acceptance and costs of integrating uncrewed aircraft into health supply chains.

Revolution Aerospace Pty Ltd – QLD and VIC

Research to support and conduct trials to deliver cargo in Whitsunday region using a variety of drones, delivery distances and delivery scenarios; trials to simulate air taxi operations in the Whitsunday region, and research to develop enhanced uncrewed traffic management services..

Field Master Systems Pty Ltd DFSS – VIC

Integrating thermal imaging into drones to detect feral pests.

Swinburne University of Technology (Air Hub) – VIC/NSW

Design and integrate a hydrogen fuel cell into a drone, with ground and flight testing.

Marlee Djinda Pty Ltd – WA

Build, certify and integrate a drone with cameras and sensors to deliver a Landcare management program on the lands of the Kanpa community within the Ngaanyatjarra Aboriginal Land Council in Western Australia.

Swoop Aero Pty Ltd – QLD/NSW

Roll out a large-scale multi-role drone logistics network commencing in the Darling Downs south west region and expanding into south east QLD and northern NSW focusing on pathology and medical logistics.

XROTOR Pty Ltd – VIC

Development, testing and trialling of a new propeller design for both emerging and traditional aircraft with reduced noise impact and higher propulsion efficiency compared to traditional propellers.