Dronamics receives codes to operate its Australian made cargo drones

Cargo drone airline Dronamics has been officially assigned both IATA and ICAO designator codes, opening the way for the company’s Australian made drones to operate as a scheduled airline worldwide.

In January @AuManufacturing reported that Sydney Composites manufacturer Quickstep was to manufacture an initial run of 10 drone cargo aircraft for European cargo airline Dronamics under a $5.5 million contract.

Dronamics’ Black Swan is a new type of cargo drone, remotely-piloted and fuel-efficient, suitable for a longer range and higher load factor than electric solutions.

They have a capacity of 3.5 cubic metres or 350kg, and a range of up to 2,500 kilometres, the equivalent of Hong Kong to Osaka or Dubai to New Dehli.

Dronamics is the first cargo drone airline to secure the dual codes, granting it recognition on par with other international airlines.

Dronamics has been assigned the IATA designator code ‘OY’, along with the accounting prefix ‘651’, which as essential identifiers for airlines, their destinations, and cargo documents.

They enable commercial interline agreements with other IATA carriers, connections with freight forwarders, and enabling the publication of flight schedules through OAG, the world’s leading provider of digital flight information.

In addition to the IATA codes, Dronamics has also secured the ICAO designator codes, and the ICAO telephony call sign ‘Black Swan’ and the three-letter airline designator ‘DXE’.

These ICAO codes are widely utilised by pilots and air traffic controllers worldwide, playing a crucial role in flight planning, communication with air traffic control, and the dissemination of vital information through NOTAMs (Notice to Air Missions).

According to Dronamics: “Becoming the first cargo drone airline with both IATA and ICAO designator codes is a testament to Dronamics’ pioneering spirit and our vision for faster, cheaper and green air cargo for everyone, everywhere.

“This recognition by the leading aviation community reinforces our position on the international aviation map.”

Quickstep Chief Executive Officer Mark Burgess said the Dronamics solution could well revolutionise the middle-mile cargo delivery sector.

Burgess said: “This partnership gives Quickstep the opportunity to provide our engineering and manufacturing expertise into delivering a large sophisticated cargo drone.

“This is also a great opportunity to advance the Australian aerospace sector, something we are very
passionate about.”

Further reading:
Quickstep wins aerostructure contract for cargo drones

Picture: Dronamics/Black Swan cargo drone