Aerologix Named NSTA Founding Member for Drone, AI Innovation

Australia’s leading aerial data and drone intelligence platform, Aerologix, has been named a Founding Member of the newly formed National Security Tech Alliance (NSTA) – a landmark initiative launched by the Tech Council of Australia and supported by industry and government partners to secure Australia’s future through technology.

NSTA brings together some of the world’s most trusted organisations, including Microsoft,
Thales, CyberCX, Google, Nokia, and CSIRO, to strengthen national resilience through strategic collaboration in critical technologies such as cybersecurity, drones, AI, quantum and secure
communications.

Aerologix’s inclusion positions it alongside the country’s most influential defence-aligned
technology leaders at a time when sovereign capability has become a top national priority.
Aerologix Founder and CEO Tom Caska says the appointment reflects the growing strategic role
of secure drones, AI-powered mapping, and geospatial intelligence across national defence,
infrastructure 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.

“Being part of the NSTA cements Aerologix’s role in shaping sovereign capability through
advanced air mobility and geospatial AI.”

The NSTA offers a new model of public-private collaboration to ensure Australia is prepared for
the technological challenges of the next decade. The coalition is designed to:

● Promote Australian capability in emerging technologies, including drones, AI, secure
infrastructure, and critical communications
● Accelerate collaboration with AUKUS partners through Pillar 2 trilateral R&D programs;
● Reduce reliance on foreign technology providers, bolster sovereign manufacturing, and
protect supply chains
● Shape government policy to better support domestic innovation in defence-aligned
technologies
As a founding member, Aerologix brings:
● A network of 40,000+ certified drone pilots across Australia
● A cloud-based geospatial platform used by infrastructure, utilities, and emergency
services
● Patent-backed AI mapping technology that supports real-time, high-stakes decision-
making
● Trusted operational alignment with CASA, airspace regulators and national emergency
response frameworks

The formation of the NSTA comes amid a global shift toward agile, autonomous and software-
defined defence capabilities. Former Google CEO Eric Schmidt, now a key advisor to the US
government, has championed a new era of defence procurement focused on “affordable, autonomous, and abundant” systems – a trend that is unlocking major opportunities for tech startups with dual-use capabilities.

Tom Caska says Aerologix’s founding membership reflects Australia’s recognition of this shift.
“The defence landscape is changing fast. Australia can’t afford to rely solely on legacy
systems,” he said.

“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.”

Aerologix continues to scale rapidly through major technology alliances. The company recently
partnered with Soar to build the world’s largest digital atlas of drone-captured imagery and
joined forces with Mappa, an emerging leader in AI-powered mapping, to deliver next-gen
aerial intelligence to clients in infrastructure, energy and public safety.