Wiru Drones – Leading a path into the drone Industry  

Drones are revolutionising a wide range of industries, including agriculture, construction, emergency services, energy mining, logistics and more – by enabling more efficient, cost-effective, and safer operations. Noticing this opportunity, Chris Warrior, a Kokatha and Wirangu man, founded Wiru Drone Solutions (Wiru Drones).  

Wiru Drones provides drone-related work, including commercial inspections for construction sites, telecom tower inspections, and construction progress videos. Whilst also creating educational workshops that provide knowledge to Indigenous communities on how they can use drones to support on Country work.  

For Chris, it is important that Wiru Drones, creates viable pathways for indigenous people to enter and understand the drone industry.  

“I want to create pathways for Indigenous people to enter the drone industry,” Chris said.  

Through online videos and physical workshops, Chris is providing a chance for Indigenous people to get up close with the functions of drones and their operation and use in the modern era.  

Chris’s passion for educating Indigenous people has led him to provide a new perspective when embedding technology solutions to traditional knowledge. Recently Chris joined the National Youth Science Forum, to discuss Wiru Drones and the impact and benefits their services provide. 

FAC recently funded Wiru Drone’s purchase of the Mavic 3 Enterprise Drone. The Mavic 3 has a mechanical shutter that decreases motion blur for clearer image mapping – this allows for increased flight time, creating cost–effective jobs as mapping an area can be completed in a shorter amount of time. Since upgrading to the Mavic 3, Wiru Drones has grown their business opportunities and secured new drone mapping service contracts.  

Using the drone’s 3D mapping technology, Wiru Drones can assist in land management projects. Combining drone technology with local communities’ knowledge, they can capture relevant data such as the mapping of the terrains for cultural burning, feral animal management and monitoring, as well as the taking of images to enhance the general care and management of flora.  

Wiru Drone Solutions is currently working on cultural mapping case studies for traditional owner groups, drone workshops for communities and ranger groups and drone awareness workshops for people to get their RePL (Remote Pilot License).  

To learn more about Wiru Drone Solutions, click here.