Photo: antarctica.gov.au/Facebook
Australia is getting more serious and invested in exploring Antarctica, aiming to reach places that no other country has ever been able to reach before. And it will use all the tools and money it needs to be able to do so, announcing an investment of hundreds of millions of dollars meant to facilitate the research in the area.
The country’s Prime Minister Scott Morrison recently stated that Australia plans to invest more than $804 million dollars over the next ten years, with a large part of this amount ($109 million) being dedicated to increasing aerial and inland capability.
More than $60 million will go into developing a fleet of drones (including underwater ones), as well as autonomous vehicles that can map hard-to-reach areas in the East Antarctic. They will be equipped with advanced sensors and cameras capable of feeding real-time data.
Another $35 million will go into four new medium-lift helicopters that will have a range of 550 km (approximately 342 miles), which will be launched from Australia’s popular icebreaker Nuyina, a research and supply vessel (RSV) built for scientific activities in the Antarctic. The ship is considered the most advanced polar research vessel in the world, being equipped with the latest technological equipment and boasting over 5,380 sq ft (500 sq meters) of science labs and offices.
Morrison hopes that the major investment in drone fleets, helicopters, and other vehicles will allow Australia to explore areas of East Antarctica’s inland that no country has ever been able to reach before. In addition to that, the ongoing investment in Antarctica will directly support jobs at home, with Australian businesses, contractors, medical suppliers and providers reaping the benefits of local procurement.
At the same time, as stated by Sussan Ley, Minister for the Environment, the country’s purpose is to also protect the integrity of Australia’s leadership in Antarctica and to send a clear international signal about the strength of the role it plays within the Antarctic Treaty system.
More than $60 million will go into developing a fleet of drones (including underwater ones), as well as autonomous vehicles that can map hard-to-reach areas in the East Antarctic. They will be equipped with advanced sensors and cameras capable of feeding real-time data.
Another $35 million will go into four new medium-lift helicopters that will have a range of 550 km (approximately 342 miles), which will be launched from Australia’s popular icebreaker Nuyina, a research and supply vessel (RSV) built for scientific activities in the Antarctic. The ship is considered the most advanced polar research vessel in the world, being equipped with the latest technological equipment and boasting over 5,380 sq ft (500 sq meters) of science labs and offices.
Morrison hopes that the major investment in drone fleets, helicopters, and other vehicles will allow Australia to explore areas of East Antarctica’s inland that no country has ever been able to reach before. In addition to that, the ongoing investment in Antarctica will directly support jobs at home, with Australian businesses, contractors, medical suppliers and providers reaping the benefits of local procurement.
At the same time, as stated by Sussan Ley, Minister for the Environment, the country’s purpose is to also protect the integrity of Australia’s leadership in Antarctica and to send a clear international signal about the strength of the role it plays within the Antarctic Treaty system.
A major funding boost for our Antarctic Program, as part of an updated 'Australian Antarctic Strategy & 20 Year Action Plan', to enhance #Australia’s role as a leader in #Antarctic #science and a key player in the Antarctic Treaty system.
— antarctica.gov.au (@AusAntarctic) February 22, 2022
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