A team of engineers from the University of New South Wales is developing a fleet of drones that can deliver vital supplies to remote areas of Australia. The all-electric fleet would produce zero emissions and be a game-changer for both the population of these remote areas and the environment at large.
Countries like Australia have vast swaths of remote land. The population of these remote areas depends on diesel trucks for the delivery of vital materials such as food and medicine. But the emissions from those long deliveries can be detrimental to both the environment and the humans they are serving.
Diesel trucks are one of the largest sources of emissions around the globe, contributing to human respiratory illnesses such as asthma and lung disease. They are also detrimental to the environment, as they can degrade crops and soil as well as produce acid rain. To top it all off, they contribute mightily to warming temperatures around the globe.
The project is a collaboration between a company called Seaflight Technologies and Macquarie University. Together, they are developing the AURA-E, an electric drone designed for long-range, heavy cargo transport. The ultimate goal of the program is to create a drone that can carry 440-660 pounds over hundreds of kilometers.
The leaders of the program believe its benefits will go beyond efficiency and being better for the environment. It should also be a significant source of job growth in the region. This is because the operation of a fleet of drones will require a new generation of aviation professionals and entrepreneurs. With that in mind, the government of Australia awarded the development team half of the program's $3 million budget.
This is only the latest use of drone technology to benefit the environment. It has also been used to locate abandoned oil and gas wells. And they are increasingly being deployed to fight deadly and destructive wildfires before they can spread out of control.
The heads of the program have big ideas about its potential scope. "If you imagine drones as being almost like a mini-airline, you could have hundreds or even thousands of flights per day," said Graham Doig, the founder of Seaflight Technologies.
He was also understandably enthusiastic about the idea of replacing the dirty diesel trucks. "You can start talking about resupplying a community with medical supplies or fresh fruit and vegetables that otherwise would have come from the other side of the country in a diesel-spewing truck. We're taking that off the road, and we're replacing it with near-zero emissions technology that can provide people with goods they need the next day."
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