Australian first UAV facility breaks ground in Brisbane

14/04/2009

A world where combating terrorism, crop dusting and fire fighting can all be carried out by pilotless aircraft is one step closer with construction starting today on Australia’s first airport-based Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) R&D facility. 

Aviation research partners Brisbane Airport Corporation and Queensland University of Technology are developing the $6 million Australian Research Centre for Aerospace Automation (ARCAA), which will be an 800m² facility with space for up to 35 researchers at Brisbane Airport’s newly master-planned Da Vinci Precinct. 

Executive Manager Corporate Relations, Jim Carden said BAC welcomed the new R&D facility to Brisbane Airport.

“Brisbane Airport is dedicated to delivering cutting edge, innovative technology to improve not only airport infrastructure, but the aviation industry as a whole,” he said.

“The ARCAA will conduct research into breakthrough UAV technology, which has countless applications, from military functions combating terrorism and improving bio-security measures, to an agricultural focus through crop dusting, not to mention the impact UAVs will have on fire fighting efforts for major bush fires.

“The impacts of this research will change our perceptions of the possibilities for aviation and its purpose forever.”

Research Partners BAC and QUT have undertaken world-leading research into such diverse projects as the development of the Airport City, water quality, energy use, bird management, aviation security and now UAV technology.

QUT functions as the R & D arm of BAC while the Airport provides a ‘living laboratory’ for QUT to undertake real world research and to strengthen its skills base.

The ARCAA comprises a main workshop for prototype air vehicle development, a Virtual UAV Laboratory for indoor hardware-in-the-loop prototype testing and general purpose lab. Given the nature of UAS R&D, a fully equipped Mobile Operations Centre has also been developed. It is located at the Da Vinci precinct at Brisbane International Airport, in the centre of major aerospace hub.

The facility has been designed by Conrad Gargett Architects and will be built by Badge Constructions.

The facility is due for completion December 2009/ January 2010.

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