Revolutionary aircraft technology developed in Qld

Queensland researchers have made a global breakthrough in the race to get small unmanned aircraft sharing civilian airspace, developing on-board detection technology that warns them when other aircraft are in the vicinity.

Science and Innovation Minister Ian Walker said the technology could have life-saving outcomes in disaster situations including bushfires and floods.

“As we witnessed last week during Tropical Cyclone Dylan, flooding can occur anywhere and at any time,” Mr Walker said.

“This technology could see unmanned aircraft carrying out low level flying to assess risk and damage, keeping our emergency service workers out of harm’s way.

“Previously, without detection and avoidance technology, the aircraft were limited to non-civilian airspace.

“This world-first innovation is a fantastic example of how the Newman Government is helping to turn great ideas into great opportunities.

“The Project ResQu initiative has received $1.8 million in Queensland Government funding so far, with a further $200,000 to be paid later this year.”

Mr Walker said Scientists at the Queensland University of Technology’s (QUT) Australian Research Centre for Aerospace Automation (ARCAA) were the first to crack the on-board detection technology.

“There was a world-wide race to develop this technology and scientists from Queensland came out in front – what a fantastic achievement,” he said.

ARCAA Director Professor Duncan Campbell said the technology was trialed discretely at an airfield north-west of Brisbane on an Insitu Pacific ScanEagle.

“Current regulations don’t allow routine operation of unmanned aircraft in controlled civilian airspace because of concern about the ability of these aircraft to detect and avoid other aircraft and to land safely in emergencies,” Professor Campbell said.

“But the ARCAA team, in conjunction with Boeing Research and Technology Australia and Insitu Pacific, hope this breakthrough will go a long way towards solving one of these technical hurdles.

“We have developed and tested an on-board system of appropriate size, weight and power usage.”

The next step in Project ResQu is to create commercial ready avoidance technology before seeking Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) approval in Australia.

[ENDS] 6 February 2014

Media Contact: Casie Scott, 0432 453 225