Best of the week — the five most popular stories among readers, February 5 – February 9, 2024

What were the five biggest stories of the week? Here’s what visitors to this site were reading.

5) AMSL Aero secures first customer for VTOL aircraft

Australian zero emission aircraft manufacturer AMSL Aero has signed an order and received deposits for 10 of its Vertiia vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft, with an option for 10 more.

The order for the hydrogen powered airctaft is from the company’s first civil customer Aviation Logistics, paving the way for emission-free flying across Australia.

General aviation and regional airline group Aviation Logistics could fly the new Vertiia aircraft through its associated companies Air Link, AirMed and Chartair covering passenger services, aircraft charter, air freight and aeromedical flights from its seven bases across Australia from as early as 2027.

4) Australian company offers the world a S.O.F.T. option for problem textiles

The next stop on our Australia’s 50 Most Innovative Manufacturers quest is at another exciting young recycling enterprise with a world-first method addressing an enduring issue. Brent Balinski speaks to BlockTexx co-founder Graham Ross.

In 2022 the company opened what was reportedly the world’s first commercial-scale recycling facility for polyester and cotton blends, taking on one of the major challenges in an already majorly-challenging sector to operate in: textile recycling.

“We’re one of the leading companies in the world and there’s only a handful of us who are sort of at pilot scale or just got out of labs,” Ross, who co-founded the company in 2018 with Adrian Jones, tells @AuManufacturing.

3) Ghost Bat UAV takes off with $400m funding

The federal government has pushed forward with plans to develop and field the MQ-28A Ghost Bat unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) which is seen as a companion for manned Royal Australian Air Force planes.

The government said it has secured hundreds of highly skilled jobs while driving industry innovation with the allocation of an additional $399 million for the ongoing development of the Ghost Bat, previously known as Loyal Wingman.

The MQ-28A Ghost Bat, known formally as a Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA), is being developed in cooperation with Boeing Defence Australia.

2) Bodd sizes up potentially huge apparel markets

@AuManufacturing is on the hunt to identify and celebrate Australia’s 50 most innovative manufacturers. Here, Peter Roberts profiles one of 2023’s most innovative – 3D scanning manufacturer for the apparel sector, Bodd.

3D body scanning and data insights company Bodd’s offices are dominated by the company’s flagship whole body scanner which uses multiple lenses, sensors and software to collect large amounts of body data from any individual.

The data is used to create a personalised, unique customer profile that allows uniforms and clothing to be custom made or chosen from stock for each person without their having to try on numerous garments.

1) Defence manufacturers receive $3.4m in grants

The federal government is investing $3.4 million in 10 defence manufacturers in the latest round of the Defence Global Competitiveness and Sovereign Industrial Capability Priority programmes announced today.

The new grants will provide 50 per cent matching grants to support the delivery of cutting-edge defence capabilities, creating more than 50 jobs and helping to drive exports.

Grant recipients include a NSW company developing state-of-the-art counter-drone technology, a South Australian producer of composite structures for guided munitions and hypersonic vehicles and a Queensland business that manufactures complex components for use in precision guided munitions and hypersonic vehicles.

And in case you missed our podcast…

In episode 82 of @AuManufacturing Conversations, Ross tells us about a passion for marathons and triathlons brought him to sustainability in textiles, why recycling is a great way to go broke if you don’t do it right, what needs to change to improve the way industry and researchers work together, and more.

Picture: Bodd founders Rob Fisher (left) and Dave McLaughlin with a Bodd 3D scanner/defence apparel (credit Advanced Manufacturing Growth Centre)