UQ drone platform to help Aust research soar

A highly specialised drone research fleet is providing the opportunity for Australian researchers to fast-track a range of projects — from solving daily traffic snarls to targeted monitoring and protection of coral reefs.

The University of Queensland (UQ) Drones Collaborative Research Platform offers both aircraft and significant piloting and technical expertise to assist with corporate, government and academic projects. Platform Director Associate Professor Steven Micklethwaite said the goal was to “democratise drones” and help researchers across the country to harness the many potential uses they offer.

“Our aim is to provide highly specialised gear that they normally couldn’t afford, so they can collect data in new and more effective ways,” Micklethwaite said.

The expanding fleet of about 30 drones is managed by a team at UQ’s Sustainable Minerals Institute, with custom models built in UQ labs including the heavy-lift ‘Earthdrone’. About the size of a single mattress, it features eight rotors and can drop and retrieve sensors used for geoscience research using a retractable arm, with applications including remote water sampling and ground scanning.

The drone platform is backed by AuScope — a geoscience research support body funded by the Australian Government via the National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy — and has already received dozens of requests for assistance since its launch earlier this year, mostly from academic researchers.

Indeed, Micklethwaite said the drone team has proved their worth in the field, conducting high-resolution hyperspectral imaging to map and monitor waste at the Mount Morgan and Mary Kathleen mines in Queensland. Projects currently in the pipeline include an aerial survey of coral reefs in Vanuatu, and using drones for traffic management studies and to help with bushfire and sustainable forestry research.

“The sky is really the limit when it comes to how drones can add value to research in Australia and really help to move forward projects in a broad range of areas,” Micklethwaite said.

“We’re looking to add long-distance drones and those that can carry heavier cargo, including drones able to cover long distances and carry heavy payloads, ranging from machines below 25 kg to heavy duty drones weighing nearly 150 kg.

“Our expert staff are able to guide researchers through the technical intricacies of safe and effective drone operations, different sensors and the processing of data.”

Anyone interested in using the services of the Drones Collaborative Research Platform is invited to email drones@uq.edu.au or call 0432 210 232.

Image caption: Chief Remote Pilot Reilly Williamson and Maintenance Controller Craig Jarvis work on the Earthdrone. Image credit: The University of Queensland.