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Australia is set to become home to Boeing’s largest autonomous systems development program outside of the US.
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Under an agreement with the Queensland government, Boeing will establish a rapid innovation program over the next three years that will see the company develop next-generation autonomous systems capability in Australia in a bid to increase the independent operation of air and sea vehicles.
Chris Raymond, Boeing vice president and general manager, autonomous systems, said the Queensland program formed part of Boeing’s global growth strategy to accelerate game-changing autonomous technology for commercial and defence systems.
"As autonomy becomes increasingly common, Boeing will continue to pioneer autonomous technologies from seabed to space – setting a new standard for safe, successful missions that amplify human capabilities," said Raymond.
Boeing will work with small-to-medium sized Queensland businesses to develop transformative ‘brain-on-board’ technology. Director of Boeing's Phantom Works International business in Australia Shane Arnott said the program will supplement the work of the Trusted Autonomous Systems Defence Co-operative Research Centre in Queensland.
"Our program will complement the work undertaken by the Trusted Autonomous Systems Defence Co-operative Research Centre, taking research outcomes and developing them into exportable commercial products for the global autonomous market," said Arnott.
The announcement comes as Boeing celebrates its 20th anniversary of its partnership with Queensland.
"There could be no more fitting way to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Boeing’s partnership with Queensland than today’s announcement," said Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk.
"The 131 jobs that will come with this autonomous vehicles program will grow Boeing’s Queensland workforce – and these are truly jobs of the future."
Boeing’s first Advance Queensland partnership with the Queensland government has celebrated success recently, with the broad area UAS situational awareness system, developed by Boeing in partnership with Queensland businesses exported to the US in late 2017, successfully completing its first flight test in Mississippi in January 2018.
