Drones - Unmanned Down Under - Training for the Triton

Australia Flies First Large Drone in Unrestricted Airspace

by Bill Carey

 - June 24, 2015, 12:47 PM

A Royal Australian Air Force Heron unmanned aircraft parked at Woomera Range Complex. (Photo: Australia Department of Defence)

The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) for the first time started flying a large unmanned aircraft system (UAS) outside restricted military airspace this week. The service is flying the Israeli-made Heron medium-altitude, long-endurance UAS from Rockhampton Airport along Australia’s eastern seaboard as part of Talisman Sabre 2015, a biennial joint training exercise with the U.S. military.

The RAAF and air navigation services provider Airservices Australia entered into a memorandum of agreement (MoA) in late May which sets out procedures for the 2,425-pound (1,100 kg), pusher propeller-driven Heron to fly in unrestricted civilian airspace. This week, the service conducted the historic first flights outside restricted airspace to familiarize pilots with the Rockhampton airspace before the training exercise, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation reported June 24. The regional airport is located 395 miles north of Brisbane.

The memorandum formalizes the partnership between the RAAF and the civil ATC provider, the parties said. “The MoA aids both Airservices and the Air Force by facilitating the initial operation and integration of remotely piloted aircraft into civil airspace, based on the Air Force’s mature and thorough airworthiness and aviation safety system,” Air Commodore Chris Westwood said at the signing. The Civil Aviation Safety Authority, which serves as Australia's aviation regulatory agency, will work with both parties “to monitor the arrangements from a civil aviation safety perspective.”

The RAAF currently operates two Israel Aerospace Industries Herons from the Woomera Range Complex, a test and evaluation facility with restricted airspace in Australia’s south central region. It leases the unarmed Heron from Canadian firm MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates (MDA), which in October announced a C$40 million contract amendment from the Australian government to transition its unmanned aerial vehicle services to Australia from Afghanistan.

Australia’s Heron detachment in Afghanistan flew its final mission from Kandahar Air Field on November 30. In a press release, MDA said it will provide “UAV operations and related services” to the RAAF through December 2017. The service plans to train with the Heron until it receives up to seven Northrop Grumman MQ-4C Triton unmanned aircraft. The Triton is a Global Hawk maritime derivative that will operate alongside the RAAF’s coming Boeing P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft.













 

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