The Queensland Flight Test Range has opened for business, says the Australian state development agency for Queensland. Located at Cloncurry Airport, the unmanned aerial systems test facility is the first of its kind in Australia. Queensland is investing AUD14.5 million to develop the foundation stage of the facility, which gives users access to:
- a 20-metre by 20-metre hangar
- airspace measuring 30 kilometres by 20 kilometres and up to 6000 feet
- a 2-kilometre runway
- state-of-the-art monitoring equipment
- surveillance radar
- an air-conditioned workshop
- supporting amenities.
The facility has been used by one of the world’s largest aerospace companies, The Boeing Company, to test its advanced autonomy project including brain-on-board technology.
Global defence technology company QinetiQ has been appointed to manage the foundation stage of the Queensland Flight Test Range.
This project is a priority of the Queensland Drones Strategy and supports initiatives set out in the North West Queensland Economic Diversification Strategy Implementation Plan 2019-2021.
The strategy builds upon Queensland’s strengths and leverages the state’s innovation success to take advantage of new and emerging opportunities, complementing the Advance Queensland initiative. The strategy is developed in consultation with government, industry, academia and the general public, to ensure it supports the industry now and into the future.
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