Research Engineering Facility

REF’s RPAS and Remote Sensing Group provides advanced drone, aviation and remote sensing capabilities to support research, innovation and industry engagement. Operating from the Yandiwanba Space Technology Precinct, our CASA-certified flight operations team maintains an extensive fleet of remotely piloted aircraft systems (RPAS), advanced remote sensing instruments and supporting engineering infrastructure. We provide custom platform integration, specialised payload development, data acquisition and geospatial analytics to meet the unique requirements of research and industry projects.

Our multidisciplinary team includes remote sensing specialists, drone pilots, geospatial analysts, engineers, technologists and project managers who work collaboratively to deliver end-to-end solutions. From experimental design and sensor integration through to field operations, data processing and visualisation, we help researchers and partners achieve impactful outcomes through safe, compliant and efficient workflows.

For Researchers

REF enables researchers to access world-class drone and remote sensing capabilities without the need to develop and maintain their own operational platforms. Our team supports a broad range of research activities, including environmental monitoring, ecology, agriculture, infrastructure assessment, disaster management, mining, geoscience, aerospace and autonomous systems research.

Researchers can leverage our extensive fleet of aerial platforms and integrated sensing technologies, including LiDAR, hyperspectral, multispectral, thermal and high-resolution imaging systems. We provide support for data collection, geospatial analysis, digital twin development, AI-enabled workflows and advanced visualisation. Whether mapping coastal ecosystems, monitoring vegetation health, assessing infrastructure, characterising bushfire impacts or developing next-generation autonomous systems, our team can tailor a solution to support your research objectives.

For Industry and Government

REF partners with industry and government organisations to deliver innovative drone and remote sensing solutions for real-world challenges. Our team provides consulting, project delivery and contract research services across sectors including resources, agriculture, environmental management, infrastructure, transport, energy, defence and space.

As a CASA-certified RPAS operator, we conduct drone operations across Australia and can support specialised missions including sensor integration, advanced aerial data capture, geospatial analytics and technology validation. Our experienced pilots, engineers and analysts combine operational expertise with research excellence to deliver reliable, high-quality outcomes. We operate under rigorous safety, quality assurance and regulatory compliance frameworks, giving partners confidence that projects are conducted professionally and safely.

Through access to world-class facilities, engineering expertise and cutting-edge sensing technologies, QUT helps industry and government partners accelerate innovation, reduce risk and unlock new opportunities through the use of advanced aerial systems and data-driven decision making.

REF’s Robotics and Autonomous Systems Group (RASG) provides advanced robotics, autonomous systems and artificial intelligence capabilities to support research, technology development and industry innovation. RASG combines expertise in robotics engineering, mechatronics, software development, machine learning, computer vision and systems integration to transform research concepts into reliable, deployable systems that deliver real-world impact.

RASG supports the full technology development lifecycle, from concept design and prototyping through to field deployment, testing and operational support. Our multidisciplinary team of engineers and technologists works across autonomous platforms, robotic manipulators, intelligent sensing systems and AI-enabled applications, helping researchers and industry partners address complex technical challenges through rigorous engineering and scientific practices.

Our capabilities span robotic arms and collaborative robots, autonomous ground vehicles, machine learning and computer vision systems, simulation and digital environments, embedded systems, software engineering and bespoke mechatronic systems integration. We maintain a diverse portfolio of robotic platforms and enabling technologies to support a broad range of research and commercial applications.

For Researchers

RASG enables researchers to access specialist engineering expertise and advanced robotic platforms without the need to build and maintain those capabilities themselves. Our team works collaboratively with researchers to translate innovative concepts into robust experimental systems and operational prototypes, accelerating research outcomes while reducing technical risk.

Researchers can leverage RASG expertise across fields including robotics, automation, artificial intelligence, manufacturing, agriculture, environmental monitoring, logistics, mining, space technologies, healthcare and human-robot interaction. The team supports the design and integration of custom robotic systems, development of autonomous behaviours, machine learning model deployment, perception systems, simulation environments and data acquisition frameworks.

Whether developing autonomous field robots, designing robotic manipulation systems, creating digital twins, validating AI algorithms, integrating advanced sensors, or transitioning research prototypes into deployable systems, RASG provides the engineering capability required to move research beyond proof-of-concept and into real-world application.

For Industry and Government

RASG partners with industry and government organisations to develop, validate and deploy advanced automation and autonomous technologies that solve practical operational challenges. By combining research expertise with professional engineering practices, RASG helps organisations reduce technology adoption risk and accelerate innovation outcomes.

Our team provides consulting, contract research and technology development services across areas such as robotic automation, autonomous vehicles, intelligent sensing, computer vision, machine learning, industrial inspection, decision support systems and complex software development. We are experienced in integrating commercial and custom hardware, developing bespoke control systems and delivering field-ready robotic solutions capable of operating in demanding environments.

With expertise spanning system architecture, mechatronics, software engineering, machine learning and systems integration, RASG helps partners transform emerging technologies into operational capabilities. Through access to world-class research infrastructure, specialised engineering expertise and a strong focus on real-world deployment, we support industry and government organisations to improve productivity, enhance safety and unlock new opportunities through intelligent automation and autonomous systems.

Our team designs and produces custom solutions for niche applications, data acquisition and sensor integration across a variety of platforms.

Overview

We design and manufacture custom engineering solutions for niche applications for research, government and industry. With the ability to integrate a multitude of sensors to airborne and ground vehicles, we enable researchers to acquire data in ways not previously possible.

Our expertise in sensor and collection technologies allows us to extract the best performance from the systems we create. Our focus on ease of use and durability is key to achieving success in demanding environments. We take a holistic approach to how the systems operate out in the field to achieve the best result for our partners.

The team maintains compliance with regulatory authorities such as the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) for our airborne sensor integrations.

We have a scientific and industrial lab for heavy mechanical and structural testing, including high temperature and flame conditioning.

Overview

We have the space, equipment and technical expertise to support large specimen handling, manufacture and destructive testing of built environment structures, from individual components through to building systems.

Our capabilities include a strong floor and heavy steel framing, large capacity hydraulic actuators, instrumentation, and technical expertise to design, modify and fabricate custom test rigs and experimental setups.

Spaces and equipment

Our facility provides many testing spaces suitable for mechanical and structural engineering testing.

• Flexible test areas including:
  • field sample preparation laboratory supporting materials science activities including surface analysis, thermal conductivity testing and precision sample preparation
• Civil engineering areas including:
  • fire and wind testing for light steel structures (working with the QUT Wind and Fire Engineering Laboratory)
  • timber testing
  • concrete testing

We have access to a wide range of equipment to enable mechanical and structural engineering testing including:

• 5t gantry crane
• 2.5t forklift
• 100m2 of strong floor with testing capacity up to 500kN
• six-burner gas furnace that can deliver up to 1000°C.

We provide a broad range of instrumentation and data acquisition capability to support experimental testing, including:

• load cells from 3 kN to 3 MN
• digital indicators with 10 µm precision
• laser sensors
• linear variable differential transformers
• thermocouples
• accelerometers
• vibration sensors
• LabVIEW and LabJack data acquisition systems.

• Four point bending testing
• Test loads from 1 kN to 3900 kN
• Gas and electrical furnaces
• Tensile coupon testing
• Custom designed and fabricated test rigs