SYPAQ Systems will be delivering sovereign Australian autonomous systems to support the Ukrainian Armed Forces thanks to investment from the Department of Defence.
Following the announcement in July 2022 that Defence would be providing further funds to purchase much-needed defence technology and equipment for Ukraine, SYPAQ Systems has been able to manufacture its Corvo Precision Payload Delivery System (PPDS) drones for the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
Developed in Melbourne in partnership with Army and under a $1.1 million Defence Innovation Hub contract, the Corvo PPDS is a low cost, expendable drone for the delivery of supplies and equipment into areas traditional logistics capabilities cannot reach.
Also known as the ‘cardboard plane’, the PPDS comes flat-packed and can launch, fly up to 120 km and land by itself, providing true autonomy and removing the cognitive load on the soldier during operation.
Following feedback from end-users in Ukraine, the system has also been adapted for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions.
PPDS is being manufactured at SYPAQ’s Defence Autonomy Centre of Excellence in Fisherman’s Bend, Melbourne, using components from SYPAQ’s Australian supply chain.
Quotes attributable to SYPAQ CEO Amanda Holt:
“It is an honour to be supporting the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
PPDS is an Australian capability that will help the Ukrainian people defend their country, and is proof of the world-leading autonomous systems capabilities in Australian industry.
This capability is the result of an innovation journey with Army and the Defence Innovation Hub, and demonstrates the importance of collaboration between Defence and industry on capability development.”
Top Photo: Richard Marles, Deputy Prime minister of Australia and Minister for Defence, with Executive Team
Source: Press Release