Defence’s $1.3bn drones in US test flight setback

Australia will press ahead with the acquisition of a new military drone marketed as being safe for civilian airspace.

A US military MQ-9 Reaper drone flying over southern Afghanistan. Australian is purchasing an unmanned variant of the MQ-9 known as the SkyGuardian. Picture: AP

Australia will press ahead with the acquisition of a new military drone marketed as being safe for civilian airspace, despite the ­refusal of US regulators to green-light a test flight of the aircraft over urban areas.

Defence is purchasing an undisclosed number of SkyGuardian unmanned aircraft — a variant of the feared Reaper drones used in Iraq and Afghanistan — under a $1.3bn acquisition.

It said the unmanned aircraft would undertake a variety of roles, “including reconnaissance and communication support, security at major events, disaster relief, humanitarian assistance and search and rescue operations”.

“The variant of SkyGuardian that Defence is purchasing will be certified to similar standards as manned aircraft,” the department said in a statement.

“This is to ensure the safety of people on the ground and other airspace users. While this is yet to be completed, this will enable ­operations in domestic airspace.”

Despite an eight-year development program, the US Federal Aviation Administration refused an application earlier this year from SkyGuardian’s manufacturer, General Atomics, to fly the aircraft over the densely populated city of San Diego.

The company said the drone would map critical infrastructure in the city, but it was forced to relocate the test over the desert.

Australian Defence officials observed an earlier test flight last year over the desert between Arizona and Nevada.

General Atomics is marketing the 5.6-tonne drone, which has a 24m wing span, as a “persistent eye in the sky” that can fly in the same airspace as passenger aircraft using “detect and avoid” sensor capabilities.