North Australia Centre for Autonomous Systems | NACAS

Airspace Deconfliction: A Crucial Step for Safe Drone Operations. As the skies become busier with both drones and crewed aircraft, airspace deconfliction and stakeholder engagement has never been more important. Despite the low population of North Australia, low-flying aircraft operated by military, emergency services, pastoralists, and land managers are a common sight. Without adequate pre-flight coordination, the potential for mid-air collisions increases significantly — posing safety risks and potential financial repercussion. To mitigate these risks, remote pilots should always consult with local aviation operators to ensure safe separation. #AirspaceSafety #DroneOperations #AviationCollaboration #WelcometotheNorth

Applications are now open for the 2025 Cert III in Aviation (Remote Pilot) course at Charles Darwin University 🎓️ For more information and to apply today, click here: https://lnkd.in/g_sntCzR ⁠ #NACAS #NorthernTerritory #CDUni #YouMakeCDU #DarwinNT #RemotePilot

The NACAS team practising precision landing of the RigiTech Eiger outside a remote Health Centre in West Arnhem, North Australia. West Arnhem is twice the size of Belgium and has a population of only 7500 people. What a fantastic low-risk landscape to trial cargo drone delivery over very long distances, and most importantly, under first-world aviation regulation. Why flight test anywhere else? #remotehealthcare #UAVs #dronesforhealth UAV for Payload Delivery Working Group (UPDWG)

𝗦𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗸𝗲𝗿 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝘁𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 🟢 𝗡𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗻 𝗔𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗮 𝗗𝗲𝗳𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗜𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗦𝗵𝗼𝘄𝗰𝗮𝘀𝗲: 𝗛𝗼𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝘆 QDSA (Queensland Defence Science Alliance) 🟢 𝗪𝗲𝗱 𝟮𝟳 𝗡𝗼𝘃 Professor Hamish C. from North Australia Centre for Autonomous Systems | NACAS Charles Darwin University NACAS undertakes research and training to enhance the integration of long-range unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) into North Australian airspace. Hamish, NACAS Director, will discuss the opportunities and challenges for UAV manufacturers and researchers to engage with NACAS and the Australian Defence Force in this vast playground, at our showcase next week. This event is a rare chance to gain insider knowledge from QDSA members and Defence industry leaders who are actively shaping the future of Defence applications for operating in Northern Australia. This event is exclusively open to QDSA Members, AIDN members, Defence, and invited guests only.

Can you count how much gamba grass is in this image? NACAS researchers are trying to find better ways to detect invasive species like gamba grass using drones and Artificial Intelligence. By combining these technologies we can spend more time surveying larger areas. While this research is still a work in progress we are seeing some promising results. Watch this space! #DroneResearch #DronesandAI #NACAS #NACASresearch #dronesforgood #ArtificialIntelligence

Precision-landings are a critical part of managing ground risk and creating safe BVLOS operations. So, how clever is this QR-code solution we are working with for our medical delivery program?⁠ ⁠ Solutions like this could also help with launching and landing in small spaces like forested areas or rocky environments. It would have been great for some of our previous projects, like trialing the use of drones to detect endangered wallabies in the rocky country of Northern WA.⁠ ⁠ #NACAS #CDUni #DroneResearch #RPAS #RemotePilot #DroneOperations

Precision-landings are a critical part of managing ground risk and creating safe BVLOS operations. So, how clever is this QR-code solution we are working with for our medical delivery program?⁠ ⁠ Solutions like this could also help with launching and landing in small spaces like forested areas or rocky environments. It would have been great for some of our previous projects, like trialing the use of drones to detect endangered wallabies in the rocky country of Northern WA.⁠ ⁠ #NACAS #CDUni #DroneResearch #RPAS #RemotePilot #DroneOperations

NACAS researcher and PhD Candidate Aliesha H. has just got back from a very successful field trip on Groote Eylandt with the Anindilyakwa Land Council and Land and Sea Rangers. This research aims to evaluate the effectiveness of long-range drones in detecting ghost nets and other marine debris along remote coastlines in northern Australia. The spatial data collected during the survey is intended to support the Rangers in their management efforts, enabling more efficient monitoring and removal of ghost nets on Country. A total of six BVLOS missions were conducted using the eBee X drone by AgEagle Aerial Systems Inc., surveying 47 km of remote coastline. These missions resulted in the detection of 68 nets varying in size, with 15 successfully removed. This project is supported by Parks Australia and the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water #droneresearch #droneoperations #NACAS #NACASinthefield #dronesforgood #ghostnets

What can a successful research collaboration with land managers look like? Here at NACAS we think it looks like working in tandem to conduct research while also building capacity through training to develop sustainable programs to care for Country. So we are always grateful when we get to work with wonderful partners like the Anindilyakwa Land Council and Anindilyakwa Land and Sea Rangers. These Rangers have been undertaking drone training with us to further support research to a develop ghost net surveying and retrieval program on Groote Eylandt. They are now directly assisting with the drone operations so we can work together to care for Country. This collaboration would not be possible without the support of Parks Australia and the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water #droneresearch #NACAS #NACASinthefield #dronesforgood #ghostnets

The sky is the limit! ✈️ Congratulations to our most recent students for successfully completing their Cert III in Aviation (Remote Pilot), pictured here with the course instructor and NACAS' Chief Remote Pilot, Rebecca Ludgate. Applications for the 2025 course open in December: https://lnkd.in/g5cYYW5A #Dronetraining #NACAS #AVI30419 #NorthernTerritory #CDUni #YouMakeCDU #DarwinNT