Dual-Use Innovation on show at NT Defence Week 2025
Northern Territory positions itself as a test-bedder for dual-use innovation with defence and civilian tech, combining airspace, agility and ambition.
In a rapidly evolving global landscape, the Northern Territory is stepping up as a national testbed for dual-use innovation—technologies designed for both civilian and defence applications. At Defence Week NT, a panel moderated by Alex Farrugia of Paspalis Capital brought together pioneering voices in defence technology to explore how the NT’s unique geography, regulatory environment, and growing ecosystem are creating new pathways for innovation.
Setting the Stage: The Territory Advantage
Alex Farrugia opened the session by outlining the Northern Territory’s growing importance as a launchpad for trialling frontier technologies. “The NT’s strategic location in the Indo-Pacific, its low-density airspace, and purpose-built infrastructure like AIR-F at CDU Katherine make it uniquely suited to defence innovation,” he noted.
Crucially, Farrugia highlighted how partnerships between venture capital, government, and academia are helping to reduce the timeline from concept to deployment. In a sector where agility often determines relevance, the Territory is positioning itself as a place where things can happen faster—and smarter.
NACAS and AIR-F: Opening the Skies
Hamish Campbell of the North Australia Centre for Autonomous Systems (NACAS) brought the conversation into focus by describing how the AIR-F test facility at Charles Darwin University’s Katherine campus is breaking new ground in unmanned flight testing. With CASA-approved Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) certification and access to wide open airspace, AIR-F is already providing a cost-effective, rapid testing solution for drones and Advanced Air Mobility systems.
“Traditional test ranges were designed for manned aircraft,” Hamish explained. “They’re costly, congested, and slow. AIR-F enables accelerated testing of autonomous systems at scale, with real-world variables.” This includes AI-driven navigation, swarm logistics, and autonomous decision-making—technologies at the heart of next-gen defence systems.
Praetorian Aeronautics: The Next Flight Frontier
Taking advantage of the NT’s attributes, Brett Hill of Praetorian Aeronautics outlined the company’s ambitious two-year test campaign focused on AI-enabled counter-drone systems and long-range unmanned aerial vehicles. Based at AIR-F and in partnership with CDU, the program includes daily ISR (Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance) missions and live AI simulations.
Hill shared plans for a dedicated DronePort in Katherine, equipped with sealed runways to support cargo drones at scale. “Australia needs sovereign capacity in AI-enabled aerospace,” he said. “The NT gives us the physical and regulatory freedom to build and iterate fast, in line with global programs like the U.S. Replicator initiative.”
Transcelestial: Laser Links in Clear Skies
Connectivity emerged as another frontier of dual-use potential, with Mohammad Danesh of Transcelestial Technologies detailing the company’s laser communication tests in the NT. Transcelestial’s CENTAURI terminals are being deployed at CDU Katherine to bridge regional connectivity gaps using free-space optical links.
Beyond civilian applications, Danesh highlighted interest from DefenceNT and NACAS in using CENTAURI for non-jammable, line-of-sight communications between mobile drone swarms and even naval ship-to-shore scenarios. “The NT’s clear skies and proactive regulatory stance make it ideal for testing advanced communication systems,” he said.
Equatorial Space: Rockets, Responsiveness and R&D
From the skies to space, Simon Gwozdz of Equatorial Space Systems showcased how the Territory’s remote setting is enabling safe, rapid trials of hybrid rocket engines. Within just 44 days of investment, Equatorial Space conducted its first test fire in Darwin and now operates multiple facilities in the region.
Gwozdz explained the advantages of their HRF-1 solid fuel—manufactured locally—and how hybrid rockets offer a safer and more precise alternative for both civilian and military applications. He suggested the NT could play a future role in developing hypersonic and high-thrust propulsion systems, leveraging Darwin’s isolation and emerging supply chain.
A National Capability in the Making
The panel discussion culminated in a shared vision: that the NT has the potential to become Australia’s strategic proving ground for dual-use innovation. Startups are already demonstrating what’s possible—whether it’s daily drone flights, laser-based comms, or rapid engine prototyping—backed by a collaborative ecosystem that includes venture capital, government bodies, and higher education.
What sets the Territory apart is more than geography. It’s a mindset of experimentation and responsiveness, bolstered by infrastructure like AIR-F and a growing network of local capability. As dual-use innovation becomes central to national security and economic resilience, the NT stands out as a place where big ideas can be tested quickly and scaled effectively.
For a region often viewed through the lens of remoteness, this conversation flips the narrative. The NT isn’t on the periphery—it’s at the frontier.
