SYPAQ hosted a parliamentary delegation from Ukraine on Friday 24 March 2023 at its Defence Autonomy Centre of Excellence in Fisherman’s Bend.
The delegation inspected the production line for the Corvo Precision Payload Delivery System (PPDS), which is currently being provided to Ukraine by the Department of Defence through funding announced by the Australian Government in July 2022.
Also known as the ‘cardboard drone’, the supply of the PPDS capability to Ukraine was first revealed during the Avalon Air Show in early March, with the drones being delivered as flat-packed “capability bricks” of 100 aircraft each month.
The bipartisan delegation had the opportunity to meet with SYPAQ staff involved in manufacturing the PPDS and received a briefing on the improvements being made based on feedback from end-users on the ground in Ukraine.
The parliamentarians are all members of the Ukraine-Australia Parliamentary Friendship Group, and were accompanied on their visit by Ukrainian Ambassador Vasyl Myroschnychenko.
The PPDS can launch, fly up to 120km and land by itself, delivering supplies or providing a low-cost surveillance capability. It was designed in Melbourne and is made at SYPAQ’s Fisherman’s Bend facility. The initial concept was funded by Defence following Army Innovation Day in 2018.
Quotes attributable to SYPAQ Chairman, George Vicino:
“As a veteran I am so proud that SYPAQ is supporting the Ukrainian Armed Forces as they fight for their country’s sovereignty.
“It was an honour to host the delegation and show them the work we are doing to innovate and improve the PPDS based on their feedback.
“Australia’s autonomous systems sector is world class, and this kind of innovation demonstrates of our capacity for sovereign innovation and design.”
Quotes attributable to Ukrainian Ambassador to Australia, Vasyl Myroshnychenko:
“What’s important is that not only the Australian government decides to extend the program for this particular producer but would further extend its assistance this year and would be able to procure defence industry weapons and equipment for Ukraine, which has been produced and manufactured in Australia.”
