Recipients such as AMSL Aero, Electro.Aero, Jabiru, Stralis, and Wedgetail have received funding alongside other industry and university projects, with a focus on “supporting technology that can grow manufacturing and the use of digital technology in farming, enhance regional connectivity with national supply chains, and improve outcomes for regional and remote First Nations communities,” the Government said in a press release.

These projects include the use of drones in humanitarian operations and cargo delivery across regional and remote Australia, as well as in transporting medical goods to Indigenous communities across the Torres Strait; investment in uncrewed aircraft for uses such as large-scale farm spraying; and renewable or low-energy power sources such as electric motors and high-powered chargers.

“This builds on a $18 million investment for 12 projects under the program’s first round, which is already supporting critical projects such as air ambulance trials in regional Australia and developing a more efficient propeller design for emerging and traditional aircraft,” the Government said.

According to the Assistant Minister for Regional Development & Education, Senator Anthony Chisholm, the program partners with industry to “develop innovative aviation technologies that can make a real difference for communities, particularly those in regional, rural and remote Australia”.

“This includes drones and remotely-piloted aircraft that will ensure remote communities get access to the health services they need, and the cargo makes its way onto the shelves at the local grocer,” he said.

“Some of these latest projects will explore how emerging aviation can support farmers and unlock manufacturing opportunities in Australia, as well as how we can make this technology lower cost and more sustainable – to make them more widely accessible for communities.

“I’m looking forward to seeing the development of these projects get underway and the impact they will have in our regional, rural and remote communities, because when we invest in local innovation and manufacturing, it creates more opportunity for our regions now and into the future.”