Aerial drones will be testsed as part of a federal government initiative aimed at supporting innovation and delivering capabilities for the Australian Defence Force (ADF). A total of 11 companies have signed contracts to provide a prototype of a drone, known as an uncrewed aerial system (UAS), for demonstration in April along with a production…
The second stop on our adventure to unearth Australia’s 50 Most Innovative Manufacturers is at Scimita Ventures. Founder Dr Mobin Nomvar tells Brent Balinski about his work commercialising energy, materials, and circular economy research. Ask anybody who has taken scientific research and turned it into a commercial output and they’ll likely tell you that it’s…
Sydney based Silex Systems is to compete in the United States to produce High Assay Low Enriched Uranium (HALEU) – a higher grade of nuclear fuel that will be required to fuel next generation advanced reactors, including Small Modular Reactors (SMRs). The company announced that the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) had released the Request…
Hypersonic vehicle developer Hypersonix Launch Systems has announced an MoU with digital engineering solutions company Nominal Systems to develop “a digital twin concept demonstrator” of the DART AE aircraft. DART AE is a three-metre-long, single-use, hydrogen-fuelled hypersonic platform, additively manufactured out of high-temperature alloys. It is being developed to use with Hypersonix’s proprietary SPARTAN scramjet…
Winners and commendations were announced on Tuesday at the Indo Pacific 2023 Innovation Awards, with Hypersonix Launch systems taking out two of the major prizes. The Brisbane-based hypersonic aircraft company took out the National and the SME Innovation Awards for its vehicle and propulsion systems, which saw the company awarded a contract through the United…
By Paul Cureton, Lancaster University Innovative design choices can have a massive impact in the theatre of war, so it is important to understand the principles behind their development. Recent use of low-cost cardboard drones by Ukraine, supplied by Australia, to attack targets in Russia is a good example of how this can work. Australia…
The recently established Advanced Strategic Capabilities Accelerator in the Department of Defence is on the hunt for its most senior staff – its head and an assistant secretary. They will lead the organisation which took over disparate defence innovation efforts including the Defence Innovation Hub and Next Generation Technologies Fund. While these were considered successful,…
Forrestdale, Perth environmental health and safety technology business Guarda Systems has held a live demonstration of its unique water and vacuum dust suppression system on a variety of masonry cutting tools, including a stone benchtop saw. The demonstration at the Melbourne offices of concrete construction equipment supplier Allcon Group left attendees impressed about the future…
Industrial technology company Silex Systems has been awarded defence funding support for its development of technology to produce zero spin silicon (ZS-Si) needed to manufacture quantum computing chips. The company has been awarded $5.1 million funding from the Defence Trailblazer for the Concept to Sovereign Capability Program. The Trailblazer is a partnership between the University…
Australian laser systems manufacturer Norseld has acquired the photonics capabilities of BAE Systems Australia, at the same time taking over contracts for key defence platforms. The photonics acquisition complements Norseld’s existing capabilities in medical laser and diamond coating for a range of industries including medical, optics, defence and space sectors. Norseld CEO Peter Shute (pictured)…
