This project examined drones from several contrasting and complementary perspectives - not just technology, but also policy, economics and societal impact.

The fifth Chief of Air Force Occasional Paper examines the key issues associated with contemporary armed unmanned aircraft. Such aircraft are programmed for acquisition in the 2016 Defence White Paper. The paper was written both to inform the debate on the utility of such capabilities and address concerns some may have.

We have investigated how birds avoid mid-air collisions during head-on encounters. Trajectories of birds flying towards each other in a tunnel were recorded using high speed video cameras. Analysis and modelling of the data suggest two simple strategies for collision avoidance: (a) each bird veers to its right and (b) each bird changes its altitude...

Australia’s drone industry is booming. The number of certified commercial operators has risen dramatically in recent years, and the increasing capability and usability of drone technology has seen a huge rise in the number of businesses and consumers purchasing and using drones.