Anti-drone tech firm to launch SA facility with $13m investment
The Premier says an anti-drone company’s $13 million investment in a new Adelaide research and development facility will bring jobs and expertise to the state.
ASX-listed counter-drone and electronic warfare company DroneShield has selected Adelaide as the home for its new research and development facility, citing the SA capital’s proximity to leading global defence and aerospace organisations.
The new R&D centre – backed by a $13 million investment – is expected to initially create 20 high-skilled roles, with those employed to work on the company’s high-tech anti-drone technologies, said in an announcement to shareholders.
DroneShield was founded in 2014 in Virginia, USA, and has since grown into a major player in counter-drone technology solutions.
It mostly develops drone jammers, used by militaries globally to protect critical infrastructure and in warfare. Its tech is also deployed by law enforcement, border security, airports and prisons.
DroneShield is currently expanding its annual production capacity from $500 million to $2.4 billion by the end of 2026. This includes setting up European and US manufacturing to complement its existing Sydney-based engineering operations.
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It also just surpassed 400 employees globally – nearly doubling its team in the past year – with about 300 of the staff working in software and hardware engineering.
The company has a market capitalisation of $5.6 billion, and shares in the firm are up 1.43 per cent in early trade on the release of the announcement.
The new Adelaide facility will be led by former Lockheed Martin Australia defence engineering leader Jeff Wojtiuk, who has a background in electronic warfare.
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The initial $13 million investment covers three years of operational and capital expenditure, the company said. Around 20 high-skilled engineering roles in Adelaide will be created as a result, focused on radiofrequency electronics, electronic warfare and systems integration.
Expected sales associated with the new Adelaide facility “cannot be quantified at this time”, DroneShield said, but “it is expected to be material over time as the demand for counter-drone solutions rises”.
The facility is expected to be fully up and running by March 2026, DroneShield said.
DroneShield said Adelaide was chosen “due to its proximity to leading global defence and aerospace organisations, a highly-skilled engineering workforce, and established infrastructure supporting advanced technology development, particularly in EW and RF systems”.
The company’s founder and chief executive, Oleg Vornik, said SA was “recognised as a national leader in defence and space industries, with Adelaide home to a highly skilled and experienced workforce”.
“Establishing our first R&D office in Australia outside of our Sydney Headquarters – in Adelaide – is a strategic move that supports DroneShield’s mission to deliver world-leading counter-drone and EW solutions.”
South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas welcomed the company’s announcement “to conduct research and development here in Adelaide, creating 20 highly skilled engineering roles”.
“As a government, we have a strong focus on growing our Research and Development ecosystem, which has the capacity to build our economic complexity and our state’s prosperity,” he said.
