May 23, 2022

May 23, 2022 – 11.00am Share Drone technology start-up Aerologix will use a fresh capital injection of $4.2 million led by Ellerston Capital and Lindsay Phillips’ Nightingale Partners to push into monitoring renewable energy infrastructure and delivering medication to regional communities. Founded by former Qantas pilot Tom Caska and former technology consultant Rakesh Routhu, Aerologix matches drone operators with clients that need aerial imaging and has signed up more than 10,000 drone pilots in two years. Founders of Sydney-based drone company Aerologix founders Rakesh Routhu and Tom Caska. The dispersed network of pilots allowed the company to quickly assess damage for insurance companies during the east coast floods and assist with search and rescue efforts. Aerologix is hoping the energy transition will be another lucrative market for the company and is in talks with a big renewable energy generator to inspect its wind farms and solar panels across the country. The start-up is also working with the Royal Flying Doctor Service and University of NSW Aviation to transport high-value medical items in regional NSW. Advertisement “When I was a young pilot I worked for Broome Air Services, out of Broome, and we used to fly little medical supplies and pharmaceuticals to remote indigenous communities in Cessna 210s, and it cost $5000 plus charter [fees], and we’d only fly 30 nautical miles,” Mr Caska said. “Now you can easily get a drone to do that. The carbon offsets are incredible, and it’s much more efficient, cheaper and low touch as well.” ‘Uber for drones’ Aerologix takes about 40 per cent of the fees and drone pilots can earn between $80 and $150 an hour, depending on the nature of the job. The platform has been described as an “ Uber for drones ” and attracted airline pilots who were stood down or had their flying hours reduced because of the pandemic. Since borders have reopened many of the pilots who have returned to their day jobs have kept flying for Aerologix. “A lot of the pilots are still working with us, maybe not as frequently, but they are really enjoying it as a bit of a side hustle,” Mr Caska said. Advertisement Ellerston’s Stuart Robertson said the capital would support Aerologix’s growth ambitions in Australia and abroad. “Aerologix benefits from being a key technology platform that enables drone pilots to complete complex data captures for organisations that have significant infrastructure,” he said. The business is a result of Mr Caska’s previous drone photography business Aerolens – which he started after a kite surfing accident ended his career as a pilot – combined with Mr Routhu’s drone swarm management platform R2 Robotronics.