Jun 20 2016
Australian technology start-up receives drone licence from CASA. Commences commercial operations with foundation customers across government and private sectors
Having received final regulatory approval from the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA), new Australian technology company Ninox Robotics will begin commercial operations this month, deploying its class leading, unmanned aerial systems (UAS) for customised services to government, NGOs and private sector clients.
Ninox Robotics’ flexible services can be applied to infrastructure and asset management as well as biosecurity, conservation and emergency services. They are designed to provide efficient and safe monitoring at a cost-effective price.
Operating under its CASA-granted commercial drone licence, Ninox Robotics has a number of foundation clients who will utilise the company’s military grade drones for highly accurate monitoring and analysis:
- Biosecurity Queensland, which leads the Queensland Government's efforts to prevent and manage pest and disease threats, is using Ninox Robotics’ UAS to test new capabilities for surveying and monitoring pest populations throughout the state.
- LogiCamms, a leading professional engineering and consulting services company for minerals, metals, hydrocarbons and infrastructure industries, will rely on Ninox UAS for monitoring existing linear assets, as well as mapping remote assets and proposed infrastructure.
- Ninox Robotics is utilising its drones in partnership with Southern Downs Regional Council to monitor pest animal populations in the Southern Downs region of Queensland, along the state's border with New South Wales[1].
Craig Magnussen, Pest Management Officer with Southern Downs Regional Council, said the Council is looking to put the technology to use in the pest animal control field, to accurately gauge populations and improve current practices.
We are excited by the opportunities the technology presents, particularly in detecting animals over vast areas of inaccessible terrain and making traditional broad scale pest animal control methods such as aerial baiting and shooting more efficient.
Craig Magnussen
“Having witnessed some of Ninox Robotics’ early trial work, the Council and its partners in this project, Goondiwindi Regional Council and Granite Borders Landcare Committee are very pleased to be a part of the first commercial application of the technology,” he added.
All projects will be led by Ninox Robotics’ Chief Pilot, Colin Smith, a former Major in the Australian Defence Force, and his team of specially-trained UAS pilots and technicians.
Our UAS services are unlike anything else in the market today, with the potential to do more and be in more places than any other UAS provider, at an attainable price point for multiple industries. Our team has completed a rigorous training process and we are thrilled to start putting this highly-advanced technology to work for businesses and government organisations across the country.
Colin Smith
Marcus Ehrlich, Managing Director of Ninox Robotics says the initial three projects will offer a glimpse of the versatility and unique capabilities of the UAS in enabling more informed decisions, pre-emptive issue management and improved response, security and safety.
We are eager to be working alongside forward-thinking organisations who are looking for intelligent, cost-effective solutions to leverage practical, comprehensive information in both real-time and soon after flight. The amount of interest we’ve received so far across different industries and levels of government signals that Australian businesses and landholders are eager to see how these drones can make a difference to their bottom line.
Marcus Ehrlich
Ninox Robotics offers an array of smart, high-tech options for Australian government agencies, landholders and businesses in dealing with a variety of problems afflicting the continent. It has applications across a variety of industries including Infrastructure, Agriculture, Biosecurity, Emergency Response and Security and Research. Applications include the ability to detect animals, monitor plants or land areas, create detailed maps, improve fire management and search and rescue operations, provide surveillance and more.