If you’re looking for a shiny example of a burgeoning national drone industry, you might be tempted to overlook Australia’s.  True, it’s not one of the world’s largest – not yet, at least.  And it doesn’t have a single-minded focus on technology innovation as South Korea does or a relentless pursuit of supremacy in the armed drone market, as Iran, Turkey and several other countries do.  But Australia’s drone industry has several unique features that make it a stand-out in the global arena.

First, its national body for regulating civil aviation – Civil Aviation Safety Authority, known as CASA – has developed an unusually positive attitude toward future drone development.  Just a few years ago, CASA enforced strict regulations on drones that limited the market to smaller UAVs whose operations were also strictly controlled.  However, in recent years, thanks in part to an influential 2020 report conducted by Deloitte Touche pointing to the vast economic benefits of drone development, CASA has relaxed these restrictions.  Smaller drones need not be registered at all and larger drones have been granted expedited Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLS) authority.  Some companies, like the Israel-based Percepto, enjoy virtual carte blanche to fly their drones with BVLS for mapping of Australia’s vast farm acreage, for example.

Second, Australia enjoys a pre- existing foundation in aerospace R&D and manufacturing.  Boeing, for example, already builds aircraft there.  So does GippsAero.  There are a number of academic institutions that are wholly dedicated to drone research.  Domestic startups that can design, test and manufacture drones are popping up everywhere.  In fact, Australia recently established its first major test facility for larger drones.  While still in development, Boeing has already tested a fleet of its new drone prototypes there.

Third, Australia’s UAV industry also features a heavy reliance on industry  stakeholder groups that promote and support certified UAV operators and drones. Mergers and consolidations between foreign-based companies and Australian ones are also actively encouraged and incentivized, in part to improve economies of scale.  Australia also hosts the  annual World of Drones Congress, which encourages drone companies in different industries to coalesce around a common vision including the use of drones not just for profit but also for the social good.

Fourth, and related, encouraging drone use for conservation and  consumer friendly purposes is a major theme in Australia.  The national government uses drones not only to contain deadly brush fires but also to protect koala bears and other threatened or endangered species.  Australia is also the first country to introduce a nationwide drone-based commercial delivery service.  Google played a major role in getting the service started.  Other countries, including the US and UK are looking to revive the same idea.

Finally, women seem to be playing a larger role in Australia’s drone industry.  While only a tiny fraction of drone operators in the United States, for example, are women, in Australia the figure is nearly 20%.  Relaxed training and registration requirements for small drone operators may be one factor facilitating this trend. Or it may be that Aussie women are more likely to be involved in outdoor activities of various kinds. Whatever the reason, Australia’s support for gender diversity is admirable and marks the country as a pace-setter.

According to the Deloitte Touche report. Australia’s UAV industry, at its current pace, could add 110,000 permanent full-time jobs and $15 billion to the nation’s GDP over the next 20 years.  Clearly, Australia is on the right track.  It’s not hard to see why.

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