Australian drone manufacturer Freespace Operations has opened a new manufacturing facility in Tullamarine, Melbourne, as it moves to increase production of its heavy-lift logistics drones and expand its workforce.
The company said the site is intended to support design, manufacturing, testing and delivery of its heavy-lift industrial drone systems, including the Callisto 50 platform. Freespace said it has grown from two to 20 employees over the past 24 months and plans to lift headcount to about 30 over the next year.
Freespace said it has completed production of its 150th drone and aims to double output, citing new orders from defence and industry customers.
The facility includes 1,100 square metres of manufacturing, assembly and testing space. Freespace said it will have capacity to produce more than 100 new drones per year once fully operational, and will also support pilot training, engineering roles and local supply chain development.
The company said its systems are designed for logistics missions and industrial applications including delivering cargo to ships, powerline stringing, moving equipment across hazardous sites, supporting remote infrastructure projects and assisting emergency services.
Freespace Operations co-founder and chief executive Ken King said the new facility was a milestone for the company and for Australia’s emerging sovereign drone industry.
“We’re seeing multiple technologies converge – AI, software and hardware innovations – to massively increase the capability of drones,” King said. “This facility is a clear demonstration of that sovereign capability coming online.”
The company said it has delivered 35 Australian Government and Defence contracts worth more than A$12.6 million, alongside projects with energy infrastructure companies including Infravision and Enerven.
Freespace co-founder and chief technology officer Leonard Hall said the manufacturing expansion would support the transition of capabilities from development to operational deployment, including its Cooperative-Lift feature which it said allows multiple Callisto 50 drones to carry a payload together.
“That is an incredibly difficult hardware and software challenge,” Hall said. “The new facility gives us the manufacturing foundation to scale.”
