$18 million awarded under first round of new aviation grant program
Grants totalling $18 million have been awarded to 12 projects under round one of the federal Emerging Aviation Technology Partnerships (EATP) program.
The program commits $32.6 million to June 2024, with the remaining funding to be allocated in its second round.
Projects supported in round one include drone deliveries for health centres, integrating a hydrogen fuel cell into a drone, and “manufacturing focusing on regulatory barriers and trials of air ambulance” for AMSL Aero’s Vertiia aircraft. (A full list of projects is reproduced below.)
“This program will directly support regional communities in improving health services and connections, as well as enhancing the capabilities of Australian businesses in delivering new aviation operations with increased technical complexity,” said transport minister Catherine King in a statement on Monday.
AMSL’s craft (pictured) is a box kite-inspired vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) vehicle with a range of 250 kilometres using battery power.
“AMSL Aero team received the support of the Australian Government for its Vertiia Program in the first round of the Emerging Aviation Technology Partnerships (EATP) program. Congratulations to other recipients as well!” the company wrote on LInkedin this morning.
AMSL recently completed a $23 million Series B round.
| Recipient | Project description | State |
| 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 QLD 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 NT. 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 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 and VIC |
| Field Master Systems Pty Ltd DFSS | 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 Djinda 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 |
Picture: evtol.news/vertiia
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