Quickstep wins unmanned cargo aircraft contract from Dronamics Quickstep Holdings Ltd,Black Swan,Dronamics,Farnborough Airshow,

Sydney-based Quickstep Holdings Ltd’s Aerostructures business has secured a contract award from Dronamics for the production and supply of their Black Swan unmanned cargo aircraft. The anticipated value of the firm contract requirement is likely to be in the range of $4.5 to $5.5 million.

Dronamics is the world’s first cargo drone airline, based in Europe with a well-advanced global network plan. The Black Swan is a large, unmanned aircraft designed to be capable of carrying 350kg of cargo in excess of 2,500km. Contracted work will commence in March, 2023.

The initial contract award is the result of several months of detailed negotiations following the announcement of a manufacturing MOU at the Farnborough Airshow in July 2022. Quickstep has undertaken funded engineering work in collaboration with Dronamics during that period, which supported design finalisation and volume production objectives.

The firm contract covers Phase 0 engineering (Design for Manufacture); and Phase A supply (Prototype), on a full cost-reimbursement-plus-fee basis, of 10 Low-Rate Initial Production (LRIP) aircraft. These will be split into deliveries of 3 aircraft by October 2023 and a further 7 aircraft by July 2024.

Quickstep Holdings Limited is the largest independent aerospace composite business in Australia, with facilities in Sydney, Geelong, Melbourne and Dallas. The group employs more than 280 people in Australia and internationally.