The Australian Government has partnered with industry to enable the development and deployment of emerging aviation technologies, with more than AUSD 18 million awarded to 12 projects under the first round of the Emerging Aviation Technology Partnerships (EATP) Program.
Projects to be funded under Round One
| AMSL Aero | Electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft manufacturing focusing on regulatory barriers and trials of air ambulance in regional NSW. | NSW |
| Praxis Labs | Develop structural solar surfaces for the wings of an upcoming fleet of Australian electric aircraft. | SA |
| Hover UAV – SORA-Mate | Develop an online risk assessment tool for drone operators. | All |
| Central Queensland University | Develop and trial a prototype drone system capable of AI driven weed detection and herbicide spraying (digital farming). | QLD |
| Wedgetail Aerospace Pty Ltd | Large drone operations in regional Australia including pilot and maintenance qualifications, capability verification and validation. | WA |
| Charles Darwin University | Trial of drone service delivery for health-related items between health centres, remote indigenous communities and very remote outstations in the Northern Territory. The project will test and validate the effectiveness, efficiency, community acceptance and costs of integrating uncrewed aircraft into health supply chains. | NT |
| Revolution Aerospace Pty Ltd | Research to support and conduct trials to deliver cargo in the 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. | QLD/VIC |
| Field Master Systems Pty Ltd | Integrating thermal imaging into drones to detect feral pests. | VIC |
| Swinburne University of Technology (Air Hub) | Design and integrate a hydrogen fuel cell into a drone with ground and flight testing. | VIC/NSW |
| Marlee Djinta Pty Ltd | 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. | WA |
| Swoop Aero Pty Ltd | 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 | QLD/NSW |
| XROTOR Pty Ltd | 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. | VIC |
The announcement on the government website reports “The EATP Program provides an overall commitment of AUSD 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.
“The program will support strategic partnerships with industry using emerging aviation technology to address community needs, particularly in regional Australia.
“The grants awarded under Round One of the EATP Program will support a range of projects which include development of digital farming, boosting regional supply chains, connecting regional communities and growing manufacturing in emerging aviation technology.”
Round 2 of the EATP Program is expected to commence in the coming months.
For more information
(Image: EATP)