Australia seeks sovereignly manufactured general-purpose UAS
The Australian Defence Force would like to procure sovereignly designed UAS for a wide range of military uses. (Photo: Gordon Arthur)
With Australia’s military banning the use of commercially available UAS, the ADF is looking for sovereignly designed replacements for general-purpose use.
The Australian Defence Force (ADF) is seeking information on small, general-purpose UAS that can be produced at scale.
On 31 July, the ADF issued an RfI for what it termed an Australian Sovereign Uncrewed Aerial System (UAS) and Trusted Autonomy Capability.
The Australian-manufactured UAS being sought would be used for various applications free from security limitations and concerns, particularly their internet connectivity.
In the past, the ADF has used commercial UAS from companies such as DJI for activities like training and survey, but around 800 units were banned from flying in May over concerns about Chinese espionage and internet security
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