Sphere Drones has delivered HubX to their distribution partner Aptella, enabling automated drone technology for customers in the resources, mining, construction, and emergency services sectors. This delivery underscores Sphere Drones’ leadership in providing cutting-edge drone technology to industries across Australia, paving the way for a future of safer, smarter, and more efficient operations.
Paris Cockinos CEO Sphere Drones with Aptella’s RPAS Business Development Manager Gavin Docherty. Image Credit: Sphere Drones
HubX provides a fully integrated, off-grid, turn-key solution designed for remote operations. Mounted on a 4WD-capable trailer, HubX is engineered for Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) operations, enabling seamless drone deployments in rugged and remote areas.
This milestone comes after both businesses successfully co-hosted HubX demonstration days in Western Australia, showcasing the platform's capability to enhance operational efficiency and safety. The delivery represents the culmination of over two years of development for Sphere Drones, including rigorous testing across 25,000 kilometres of harsh Australian terrain and conditions.
Paris Cockinos, CEO of Sphere Drones, said: "Delivering this HubX unit to Aptella is a testament to the hard work and innovation of our team. HubX is more than a product - it’s a transformative turnkey solution designed to take business operations to the next level by automating tasks, reducing risk, improving efficiency, and enabling continuous drone operations. Working with Aptella strengthens our commitment to driving innovative change in industries like mining, construction and many more.”
HubX is designed to replace manual processes and improve productivity through its fully automated, BVLOS-ready (Beyond Visual Line of Sight) capabilities. For industries like mining, it reduces risks by keeping personnel out of harm’s way and eliminates inefficiencies such as unnecessary travel across large sites.
Aptella’s RPAS Business Development Manager Gavin Docherty highlighted the transformative potential of HubX for their client’s operations. "HubX allows clients across industries to integrate drone infrastructure with flexible deployment options. This means 24/7 operations with significant productivity gains, enabling us to meet the evolving demands of our clients in mining, construction and other industries.”
Mr Docherty also praised the collaborative efforts between Sphere Drones and Aptella, noting the significant design improvements implemented after the HubX demo days in Western Australia. These updates ensure continued compliance with regulatory standards and operational durability in rugged conditions across Australia.
The HubX system offer several operational benefits for Aptella’s clients, including:
- Enhanced safety: Mitigates risks by keeping personnel out of hazardous areas.
- Improved productivity: Offers continuous, automated drone operations for faster decision-making.
- Cost efficiency: Reduces resource dependency by automating processes across remote sites.
Following this delivery, Sphere Drones and Aptella will conduct public demonstration days along the east coast of Australia and into South Australia. These demonstrations will enable potential customers to experience HubX firsthand and understand how the platform enhances operational efficiency and safety. Locations include but not limited to the following.
- Queensland: Brisbane
- New South Wales: Wollongong and Newcastle
- Victoria: Melbourne
- South Australia: Adelaide
Both companies will continue to gather operational insights to refine the system and explore additional applications across various industries.