Monash University spin-out Kite Magnetics and Canadian wooden and composite kit aircraft company CKD Aero have unveiled the new Dakota e-Hawk (pictured), which they claim is “the world’s most cost-effective two-seat electric aircraft”. A statement this week from the two companies said the Dakota would be “first in a series of kit aircraft” made by…
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Nanosatellite manufacturer Fleet Space Technologies has demonstrated satellite-enabled Push-to-Talk (PTT) capabilities for the Australian Defence Force – Joint Capabilities Group as part of its ASCEND2LEO programme. The demonstration was enabled on its Centauri-4 satellite in-orbit via remotely delivered software derived from the ‘Beagle’ communications waveform, developed under projects funded by the SmartSat Cooperative Research Centre.…
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Auckland, New Zealand based Frond Space Systems and Gold Coast rocket manufacturer Gilmour Space Technologies have signed a contract to supply a dragsail system for Gilmour Space’s MMS-1 satellite mission. Frond, which specialises in deployable space technology will provide a MICRO dragsail system, a lightweight and compact device that can be deployed at the end…
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Volvo trucks has announced it ‘can now be made reality’ for the company to manufacture battery electric trucks at its facility in Wacol, Queensland. The announcement came as the Queensland government released a Zero Emission Heavy Vehicle Network Map (State-Controlled Roads) where battery electric vehicles may travel in future as Australia decarbonises. Queensland is the…
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Manufacturers have been subjected to a lot of fearmongering about the perils of cyber attack. But, according to Michael Murphy, Head of Operational Technology and Critical Infrastructure APAC at cyber security solutions, hardware and services company Fortinet: “The threat landscape is very real.” And many Australian companies are neither adequately protected nor do they have…
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We have been accepting nominations for 2024’s iteration of Australia’s 50 Most Innovative Manufacturers since November. After a slight extension to the March 8 deadline, nominations will close at COB (AEDT) today (March 12.) A handful of nominees requested a little more time to finish up, but there will be no further extensions. Our panel…
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It’s the final day to nominate for this title’s Australia’s 50 Most Innovative Manufacturers list. As we prepare to pass things along to our panel of expert judges, we take a look at Contactile. Brent Balinski speaks to the sensor specialist’s co-founder Dr Heba Khamis. Maybe it was palletising, machine tending or lifting heavy workpieces.…
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By Adam Gilmour There is a space treaty being proposed in Parliament right now that sounds innocuous, but has the potential of being the biggest speed-bump/handbrake or ‘own goal’ for the Australian space industry. Tabled in Parliament on 28 February, the Technology Safeguards Agreement (TSA) between Australia and the United States essentially allows US rockets…
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Sydney-based aerospace company MicroTau, which has designed specialised polymer riblet films for aircraft to increase fuel efficiency, has been selected by the United States’ Department of Defense (DoD) for flight testing of its product. According to a statement from the Australian company on Friday, it was selected in response to the Defense Innovation Unit’s (DIU)…
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The federal government’s Research and Development (R&D) tax incentive may have highly restrictive rules and definitions which cut the number of companies eligible for assistance, but for early stage and start up companies it can be a godsend. Available to companies turning over less than $20 million – itself a bone of contention with innovative…
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