Australian-based company Sphere Drones has unveiled its latest attribution to its fleet, called the HubX. This rugged and sustaining mobile platform can be set up in 30 minutes from any remote location.
It’s ideal for rural environments like mines, farms, or disaster zones. The Drone-in-a-Box is solar-powered and internet-enabled, which means it can access remote areas that can’t be reached under normal circumstances.
With the HubX, businesses can now collect aerial data with a simple click of a button and access the data in the office.
Uninterrupted delivery despite power outages
A sore point for businesses was the sudden 13-hour work interruption in November 2023, when telecommunications company Optus went offline.
Not only did the outage halt card payments, but it also caused disruptions in the drone delivery field. During this period, Sphere Drones trialed the HubX drone platform at a remote mine in New South Wales. It was one of the few drones whose connectivity remained uninterrupted on that day.
Subsequently, Sphere Drones ensure businesses keep flying in remote areas, even during network failures. It has in-built redundancies.
The power outage-proof system is set to save companies millions of dollars and hours. CEO Paris Cockinos says HubX has already attracted the attention of certain businesses here and abroad.
“HubX includes everything you need to roll out a BVLOS (beyond visual line of sight) operation,” says Cockinos. The portable device has the potential to “help businesses meet their daily operational requirements.”
Sphere Drones turning heads
The HubX is a local Australian brand developed at Sphere Drones’ Sydney headquarters. The brand is a well-respected, innovative product with over 11,000 clients on its books.
Not all of their clients buy drones; some prefer rental or buy parts, accessories, and software. Others request training and support for airborne and underwater drone operations.
Cockinos says it’s a real game-changer in the drone technology industry. “[It’s] providing more efficiencies to miners and other organizations.”
Australian government encourages drone usage
According to the Australian government, the drone industry can potentially increase Australia’s GDP by $14.5 billion by 2040. “This is through the growth of the drone industry and the cost savings. Also, there is a broader productivity benefits uptake when using this technology. The use of its services could generate for a range of sectors in the nation,” states the 2020 Deloitte report.
Sphere Drones agrees this is a “significant cost-saving” choice. It will show positive results for the agriculture, forestry, construction, and fishery industries.
More than 700 people in Australia receive training in drone operation every month, according the company.
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Mia is a multi-award-winning journalist. She has more than 14 years of experience in mainstream media. She's covered many historic moments that happened in Africa and internationally. She has a strong focus on human interest stories, to bring her readers and viewers closer to the topics at hand.
