Australia has formally launched its first Defence Cooperative Research Centre (CRC) for Trusted Autonomous Systems at this year’s International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA) which is taking place in Brisbane.
Established under the Next Generation Technologies Fund, the CRC will be tasked with researching and delivering game-changing autonomous technologies to Defence to ensure trusted and effective cooperation between humans and machines.
Defence Industry Minister Christopher Pyne welcomed the establishment of the CRC, whose inaugural founding company members include BAE Systems Australia, DefendTex, RMIT University, and Defence Science and Technology.
“I am pleased the first Defence CRC, which is focused on trusted autonomous systems, has got off to a fitting start at the world-leading International Conference on Robotics and Automation,” Minister Pyne said.
“The Defence CRC allows Australia’s industry and research sectors to collaborate with Defence on leading edge technologies such as autonomous systems to maintain the ADF’s capability advantage.”
Based in Brisbane, the Defence CRC for Trust Autonomous Systems is chaired by Mr Jim McDowell, Chancellor of the University of South Australia, and will initially work on three research projects in the maritime, air and land domains led by Thales Australia, Lockheed Martin and BAE Systems, respectively.
Minister Pyne said the Centre will not only boost the country’s Defence capabilities, but will also improve Australian industry’s expertise and competitiveness in autonomous technologies.
“I look forward to the CRC making a vital contribution to advances in autonomous systems for Defence capability,” the Minister concluded.
