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Boeing’s Phantom Works arrives in Queensland

Reference: 08/41

CSIRO welcomes the announcement by Boeing that the Australian headquarters of its advanced technologies research organisation, Phantom Works, will be located in Brisbane.

• 13 March 2008

The decision provides the opportunity for leading scientists from Phantom Works, CSIRO and other research providers to work together to develop innovative aerospace solutions.

CSIRO Group Executive (Information and Communication Sciences), Dr Alex Zelinsky, says the choice of Brisbane was excellent for both organisations.

“Brisbane is home to the CSIRO ICT Centre’s automation and robotics research,” Dr Zelinsky says.

 “Together, CSIRO’s ICT Centre and Phantom Works will undertake new, strategically important research relating to safe operation of unmanned aerial vehicles for civilian applications.

“Areas of interest include infrastructure inspection, agriculture and disaster recovery.”

Phantom Works, Boeing Australia, CSIRO and the Queensland University of Technology, will work together on the Smart Skies Project which received $2 million in Smart State funding from the Queensland Government in 2007.

“This project aims to develop flight safety systems and technologies that will enable the widespread use of unmanned aerial vehicles for civilian airspace,” Dr Zelinsky says.

“Benefits will include improved airspace management technologies to keep the skies safe and the opportunity to work together on leading-edge aerospace research.”

CSIRO is also involved with Queensland University of Technology in the Australian Research Centre for Aerospace Automation (ARCAA).

Together with Boeing Australia and the Queensland Government, ARCAA will again host the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) Challenge – Outback Rescue, following great success in 2007.

The international challenge is held in Kingaroy, Queensland and helps to develop innovative civilian uses for UAVs. It offers scientists, students, and hobbyists the opportunity to participate in an international high-tech aerospace competition.

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