Member for Northern Tablelands Adam Marshall meets with New England Avionics founder and Incubator tenant Scott Hamey.
Wednesday, 5 April 2017
LOCALY-BASED drone company New England Avionics has become the first resident of Armidale’s University of New England SMART Region Incubator – and has wasted no time getting straight to work.
Created by the University of New England with the assistance of the NSW Government’s Boosting Business Innovation Program, the Incubator provides a high-tech space for entrepreneurs to bootstrap startup tech companies. New England Avionics is the first company to move into UNE’s Armidale campus.
Northern Tablelands MP Adam Marshall said the agribusiness and technology company had already booked out a two-day crash course on applying the technology in an agricultural setting.
“Fully funded by the NSW Government, 40 students will be provided a technical briefing, as well as flight training and an overview of legal responsibilities in Australian airspace,” Mr Marshall said.
“In no time at all, New England Avionics has demonstrated the immense demand for quality, local multirotor training.
“The SMART Region incubator is designed to help fledgling entrepreneurs with research and business development. It provides UNE researchers with a practical application for their abilities, and companies can confer with the best minds in the business.
“This is a mutually beneficial relationship between academics and industry, which will ensure the New England continues to be a hub of innovation in agriculture.
“Drones are promising to revolutionise the agricultural industry, and the team led by Scott Hamey is well positioned to take advantage of the boom.”
New England Avionics will host the two day course in May, with plans for another in the 3rd quarter of this year.