Drone programs IN OUR ANNUAL LEADERS IN TECHNOLOGY SERIES, WE ASK THE EXPERTS WHAT THE YEAR AHEAD HOLDS. WE TALK DRONE TECHNOLOGY WITH HOVER UAV’S JACKIE DUJMOVIC.
W
hen Jackie Dujmovic was first introduced to drones, she saw boundless
FLYING HIGH “Generally, of course, it did create a renewed focus on the future, especially looking at how people will work. When it comes to drones, we are seeing huge interest in moving away from the
potential. She was so convinced of
traditional ‘visual line of sight’ control,
the promise presented by the then
where the pilot is onsite, towards highly
emerging technology, she immediately
automated operation — or ‘drone in a box’.
acquired her UAV licence and founded
“That’s absolutely where our
Hover UAV to further explore the
technology and our offering is headed.
possibilities.
We’re in the process of developing a
Jackie’s maritime background meant her initial interest leaned to conservation applications, which led
remote operation centre to facilitate this,” she said. 2022 will be a year of reckoning for
to development of a world first — a
many organisations, according to Jackie,
shark alarm that could be attached to
with one of the greatest challenges being
an uncrewed aerial vehicle and help
delivery of efficient drone programs.
save lives. That same pioneering spirit
“The use of drone technology is
is still what drives the Hover UAV team.
increasingly attractive for government
Focused firmly on the future and always
departments and other industry sectors
a step ahead of the curve, the company
because there is so much that can be
is a preferred provider in both the
done more effectively and efficiently.
private and public sectors, conducting
“While many organisations have
major drone operations across a range
identified use cases and carried out
of industries and applications.
proven trials, they now need to move
We spoke with Jackie about life in
beyond that point, and they need to do it
a post-pandemic world and what 2022
safely. This can be a real challenge when
holds for industry and government when
aviation is not the core function of your
it comes to the use of UAVs.
business or agency.
“While the pandemic presented a
“Regardless of whether the required
few logistical challenges in terms of
capability exists in-house or is pulled
border closures and other restrictions, it
from an external resource, successful
didn’t fundamentally change the way our
deployment requires clearly defined
business operates, because much of
internal policies and appropriate
what we do is remote.
structures be in place, including a solid
12 | GOVTECH REVIEW Q4 2021
digital framework from which to build,” she said. Ensuring the right people are involved is essential, as is having a clearly defined outcome. “The CIO is key to the process. While drones are useful for gathering data, success in UAV programs means being clear about what type of data is needed and how it will ultimately be used. This clarity must be there from the outset and the CIO will help define that,” she said. For agencies hoping to build solid programs around UAV technology, understanding the regulatory requirement and ensuring compliance is a huge part of the undertaking. “The regulations do change, and that can be a significant challenge if there is a lack of embedded aviation experience. Our position is to support organisations in their individual journeys and to ensure compliance. It’s all part of having a good foundation in place that will enable those agencies to grow and enable them to push to the next level,” she said.
Hover UAV founder and CEO Jackie Dujmovic is a recognised industry innovator and commercial drone pioneer. She will present ‘Drones for mission-critical response’ at the Comms Connect conference being held in Melbourne in March 2022.
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