In summary

  • Swinburne’s capabilities in astrophysics, aerospace, aviation, engineering, advanced manufacturing and artificial intelligence were on display at the 2023 Avalon Australian International Airshow

Swinburne’s capabilities in astrophysics, aerospace, aviation, engineering, advanced manufacturing and artificial intelligence were on display at the 2023 Avalon Australian International Airshow.

Researchers were on hand to talk about the pioneering work, partnerships and solutions taking off at Swinburne’s Space Technology and Industry Institute and Aerostructures Innovation Research Hub (AIR Hub), one of the largest and most active aerospace research collaborations in Australia.

Many of AIR Hub’s major projects and partnerships were showcased at Avalon including lightweight composite material aerostructures, hydrogen/electric powered uncrewed air systems and digitalisation journeys for advanced manufacturing in aerospace.

Partnership announcements

A new partnership between Swinburne and Latrobe City Council launched at the Airshow will work to co-design the future of advanced air mobility (AAM). It will explore how advanced air mobility can be established at the Latrobe Aerospace Technology Precinct to drive economic growth in the region.

 Latrobe City Council Mayor Councillor Kellie O’Callaghan (second from left) joined the Swinburne stand at Avalon to announce the new partnership.

AIR Hub researchers will work with Latrobe City Council, local research and industry partners, and certification organisations such as CASA, to pioneer new technologies in AAM for the region and develop green aviation solutions to address real-world problems.

Swinburne has also expanded its partnership with Thales Australia to advance next generation air mobility systems as part of a new Memorandum of Understanding.

This partnership will explore the development of new operational concepts, including AAM for next generation aerostructures.

It will also research and develop how air traffic management systems need to tailor their approach to integrate unmanned air traffic management, while ensuring compatibility and interoperability. 

Swinburne’s first Founder in Residence, Dovetail Electric Aviation Business Operations Manager, Rachael Barritt was also at the Avalon Airshow, exhibiting an amphibian Cessna C-208 fitted with battery pods and small-scale Electric Propulsion System (EPS) to spin a three-blade propeller.

SmartSat Cooperative Research Centre projects

Swinburne is also a partner in new projects announced at the Avalon Airshow by the SmartSat Cooperative Research Centre:

·         A project with worldwide IT and business consulting service firm CGI and RMIT University that will investigate how artificial intelligence and advanced data visualisation techniques can boost space domain awareness technology, tracking and predicting the motion of satellites and space debris in Earth’s orbit.

·         A project with ESS Earth Sciences that aims to improve global weather forecasts by developing an advanced, multi-channel, ground-based microwave sounder to provide high-resolution radiance observations and atmospheric temperature and water profiles.

Avalon Australian International Airshow awards

A collaborative project led by Swinburne with partners DMTC Ltd, Rosebank Engineering, RMIT, ANSTO and DSTG, was highly commended in the Avalon 2023 National Innovation Awards. The project demonstrated sovereign industrial capability for Australia by supporting small businesses with experimental and computational material characterisation tools.

AirHub PhD candidate George Miris was awarded Best Presentation at the Australian International Aerospace Congress, AIAC20. He is working on advanced composite material manufacturing process modelling with Boeing.

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