Quickstep wins Moon to Mars contract and will build additional drones

Sydney-based Quickstep Holdings has received a $925,000 grant from the Commonwealth Department of Science, Industry & Resources (DSIR) under the Moon to Mars initiative,

As part of an overall $1.3 million development program, this DSIR grant will fund the acquisition of a large-scale CNC router/3D printer for use in rapid prototyping and low-rate initial production of complex composite structures in the domestic and international space segment. It will also support AeroQure^TM high-rate production tooling for use in emerging space applications and drones, as well as the in-house manufacture of production tooling across all program areas.

The new equipment will be installed into an expanded engineering and production facility at the Company’s Geelong site. With a concurrent move into newly leased premises at the same location, a threefold increase in production floor space will enable the delivery of increased production volumes.

Quickstep has also received a follow-on order for 20 Carbonix Volanti Uncrewed Air Systems (UAS), valued at approximately $430,000. This is in addition to the $1.35 million, 40-unit UAS order previously announced in March, which was delivered complete in early June. The Company and its partners have also received a request from a foreign military customer to undertake overseas trials of the Volanti UAS in this build configuration.

The company’s current $500,000 contract in support of cargo UAS manufacturer TB2 Aerospace LLC will be completed prior to June 30^th, it says, and it has received an additional follow-on contract, worth an initial $300,000, for engineering design services.