Budget 2021: Drones and aviation tech gets AU$32 million

Ahead of the 2021-22 Budget being handed down on Tuesday, the federal government has announced a new digital economy strategy, which it described as an investment into the settings, infrastructure, and incentives to grow Australia’s digital economy.

The strategy, costing just shy of AU$1 billion, is set to include work on “emerging aviation technologies”.

The government will be making a two-year, AU$32.6 million investment in an Emerging Aviation Technology Partnerships program to “support the use of emerging aviation technologies to address priority community, mobility, and cargo needs in regional Australia”.

The program will see the government partner with industry to look into tech such as electric engines, drones, and electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft.

“This program will support the digital transformation of…