Aerologix joins new national alliance to boost tech resilience
Aerologix has been named a founding member of the newly formed National Security Tech Alliance (NSTA), an initiative launched by the Tech Council of Australia with support from both industry and the government, aimed at strengthening Australia's technological resilience.
The alliance brings together a group of organisations from sectors spanning cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, quantum technology and secure communications. Alongside Aerologix, other participants include Microsoft, Thales, CyberCX, Google, Nokia, and the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO).
NSTA's objectives include promoting Australian capability in areas such as drones, AI, secure infrastructure and critical communications. The alliance also aims to accelerate collaboration with AUKUS partners via trilateral research and development efforts, reduce reliance on foreign suppliers, bolster domestic manufacturing, and influence policy in support of innovation in defence-related technologies.
Strategic role of drones and AI
Tom Caska, Aerologix Founder and Chief Executive Officer, said the appointment underscores the growing strategic significance of secure drones, AI-powered mapping and geospatial intelligence in national defence, infrastructure management, and emergency response.
"We're proud to stand shoulder to shoulder with the nation's top innovators to help secure Australia's digital and physical frontiers," he said.
Caska further commented on the company's expanded role, adding: "Being part of the NSTA cements Aerologix's role in shaping sovereign capability through advanced air mobility and geospatial AI."
The alliance is regarded as a new model of collaboration between public and private sectors, offering Australia a means of preparing for technological challenges expected over the decade ahead.
Aerologix's contributions
Through its position as a founding member of NSTA, Aerologix contributes a network of more than 40,000 certified drone pilots operating across the country. The firm provides a cloud-based geospatial platform utilised by clients in infrastructure, utilities, and emergency services, as well as AI mapping technology designed to support real-time decision-making in high-stakes situations. Aerologix's operations are aligned with the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA), as well as airspace regulators and national emergency response mechanisms.
In recent years, defence procurement internationally has placed increasing emphasis on agile, software-defined, and autonomous capabilities. The formation of the NSTA reflects this shift, which has been publicly championed by figures such as former Google Chief Executive Eric Schmidt, now an advisor to the US government, who has argued for a transition toward "affordable, autonomous, and abundant" systems.
Australian innovation on the global stage
Caska said that Aerologix's involvement in NSTA mirrored Australia's recognition of the need for a more responsive and independent technological capability.
"The defence landscape is changing fast. Australia can't afford to rely solely on legacy systems," he said.
He continued, "We need nimble, homegrown tech companies that can respond at speed. Aerologix is proof that Australian innovation can compete globally, and the NSTA is the mechanism to bring that capability into national focus."
The company has been broadening its activities through partnerships, recently collaborating with Soar to support the world's largest digital atlas of drone-captured imagery, and with Mappa on advanced aerial intelligence solutions for sectors such as infrastructure, energy, and public safety.
Aerologix was established in Sydney in 2019 by Tom Caska, a former Qantas pilot, and Rakesh Routhu, an IT specialist. The company matches clients with drone pilots through a platform incorporating patented algorithms and geolocation, and its pilots have worked across industries including surveying, infrastructure, renewables, telecommunications and construction.
