Thales and Underwood Innovation Lab to establish AAM centre in Queensland

Thales and Underwood Innovation Lab have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to establish an Advanced Air Mobility Centre of Excellence in South East Queensland, Australia. The AAM COE will operate as a membership-based, open-ecosystem, enabling organisations to utilise and access innovation, technology and resources. ​

The AAM COE is modelled after a successful initiative in Paris, France, known as Centre d’Excellence Drones Ile De France (CEDIF). CEDIF operates with an approved 40km beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) airspace corridor extending from Saint-Quentin en Yvelines to Bretigny sur Orge. Supported by Thales, Eurocontrol, and Systematic, CEDIF aims to provide a comprehensive platform for incubating, validating, and industrialising all aspects of drone activities, both direct and indirect.

The Australian AAM COE will be located in and supported by the City of Logan. It is hoped that the government-backed centre will boost the AAM sector in South East Queensland – one of Australia’s fastest growing regions with population numbers expected to reach 5.4 million by 2041 – as well as nationally.