Sphere Drones delivers HubX unit to Aptella, marking advancement in drone tech

Sphere Drones has delivered its first HubX unit to Aptella, marking a significant advancement in automated drone technology for diverse sectors in Australia.

HubX is mounted on a 4WD-capable trailer and offers a fully integrated, off-grid, turn-key solution for remote operations, specifically engineered for Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) operations. This platform aims to enhance operational efficiency and safety in industries such as resources, mining, construction, and emergency services by enabling seamless drone deployments in rugged and remote areas.

The delivery follows successful HubX demonstration days held in Western Australia, which highlighted the platform's capability to industry stakeholders. Sphere Drones developed HubX over two years, during which the unit underwent rigorous testing across 25,000 kilometres of challenging Australian terrain and varied conditions.

Paris Cockinos, Chief Executive Officer of Sphere Drones, commented on the significance of the delivery. "Delivering this HubX unit to Aptella is a testament to the hard work and innovation of our team. HubX is more than a product - it's a transformative turnkey solution designed to take business operations to the next level by automating tasks, reducing risk, improving efficiency, and enabling continuous drone operations. Working with Aptella strengthens our commitment to driving innovative change in industries like mining, construction and many more."

HubX aims to replace manual processes and improve productivity through its BVLOS-ready capabilities. For industries like mining, the system reduces risks by keeping personnel out of harm's way and eliminates inefficiencies such as unnecessary travel across large sites.

Gavin Docherty, RPAS Business Development Manager at Aptella, emphasised the transformative potential of HubX for their clients' operations. "HubX allows clients across industries to integrate drone infrastructure with flexible deployment options. This means 24/7 operations with significant productivity gains, enabling us to meet the evolving demands of our clients in mining, construction and other industries."

Mr Docherty also noted the collaborative efforts with Sphere Drones, celebrating the design improvements implemented following the HubX demonstration days. These updates aim to maintain compliance with regulatory standards and ensure operational durability in rugged conditions across Australia.

The HubX system offers several operational benefits for clients, including enhanced safety by mitigating risks and improved productivity through continuous, automated drone operations, which enable faster decision-making and cost efficiency by reducing resource dependency across remote sites.

Following the delivery to Aptella, Sphere Drones and Aptella plan to conduct public demonstration days along the east coast of Australia and into South Australia. These demonstrations, located in cities such as Brisbane, Wollongong, Newcastle, Melbourne, and Adelaide, will allow potential clients to experience HubX firsthand and understand its impact on operational efficiency and safety.

Both companies aim to gather operational insights during these events to refine the system further and explore additional applications across various industries.