AICRAFT – from research to innovation for the customer

In the third profile in our campaign to identify and celebrate Australia’s 50 Most Innovative Manufacturers, we look at edge computing manufacturer Aicraft. Peter Roberts spoke to owner Dr Tony Scoleri.

Australian innovation needs a lot more people like Dr Tony Scoleri, CEO of Adelaide edge computing developer and manufacturer Aicraft.

Scoleri did his PhD in pure mathematics and computer vision in the group that has now become the Australian Institute for Machine Learning.

Later, at Australia’s Defence Science and Technology Group – which in the past developed guided missiles and the Nulka anti-ship missile decoy rocket – he was the go-to specialist in the Cyber & Electronic Warfare division.

But following a Road to Damascus conversion, in 2021 Scoleri set up Aicraft where he could apply his knowledge to hardware and software and accelerate fielded technology around low-power AI on platforms.

Scoleri said: “I couldn’t just be a dreamer – I wanted to see the practical application of my work.

“That’s what drives me – you want to develop things with impact, things that make a difference.”

Recognised by @AuManufacturing as among Australia’s 50 Most Innovative Manufacturers in 2024, Aicraft has runs on the board, its edge computers flying in space aboard small satellites where they pre-process data to be transmitted to Earth, reducing the communications bandwidth necessary.

With Aircaft’s Pulsar Pro edge computing module being further developed for space, the company has launched its Nexus high performance computing server aimed at industrial markets, as well as Nexus-8 and Nexus-16 with eight and 16 chips respectively.

By industry, Scoleri means defence industry, with Aicraft talking to a number of customers – its products are bespoke and made for individual uses – and is developing a space edge computing system combined with a lightweight radar antenna under a grant from the South Australian government.

Combining expertise in AI, semiconductor technology and power electronics, Aicraft’s industrial products with their high computing capacity and small size, weight and power could be deployed by defence forces in the field.

With core staff in both electronics, embedded systems engineering and machine learning, Aicraft focuses on product design, sub-contracting electronics fabrication to other Australian manufacturers.

The move from science to industry has been a huge leap for Scoleri.

“In the private sector you have got to offer a product or a service that people want.

“Then there is the concept of market fit – you can create a product that isn’t quite what a customer wants.

“Getting that step right, well, it can take a long time.”

In the future Scoleri is looking to increasingly commercialise Aicraft’s capabilities in using AI, and that means a greater focus on sales.

That’s why he is developing industrial products with the capabilities of space computing, but manufactured in larger volumes and lower cost.

What is innovation to Aicraft?

Scoleri said: “Innovation means going beyond the status quo to the next generation – it is making that leap forward into something that generates new products.

“Innovation can be in small increments, or it can be of breakthrough importance.

“But whichever, if you don’t have the business model in mind – who are you going to sell it to – you don’t have a business.”

Australia’s 50 Most Innovative Manufacturers is an annual campaign by @AuManufacturing, made possible through the generous support of Australia Wide Engineering Recruitment, TXM Lean Solutions, the Industry Capability Network, Bonfiglioli Australia, the Advanced Manufacturing Growth Centre and the SmartCrete CRC. You can nominate here (there is no administration fee) until March 15.