How Sensorem Deployed 20+ AI-Powered Dock Systems Across Remote Australian Industrial Sites

Sensorem, an Australian aviation and drone technology pioneer, has established itself as an industry leader in autonomous drone operations across regional Australia. The company has secured groundbreaking BVLOS approvals enabling truly autonomous drone operations and has been instrumental in deploying some of the first DJI Dock systems for industrial applications in the country.

During one of the NestGen '25 sessions, we spoke with Ed Boxall, Founder and Managing Director of Sensorem, and Cooper Smart, General Manager. Sensorem is a leading Australian drone technology integrator with over 12 years of commercial drone operations experience, pioneering autonomous drone solutions across some of Australia's most challenging and remote industrial environments. Here's what they had to say about scaling autonomous drone operations in remote environments:

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"The distances are vast. Even something that seems just a few hundred kilometers away to go out to site and back is often a five or six hour round trip." - Ed Boxall, Founder and Managing Director, Sensorem

Sensorem faced several significant challenges in deploying autonomous drone systems across regional Australia:

• Extreme Environmental Conditions: Operating in Western Australia meant contending with temperatures reaching 45°C in summer, freezing overnight conditions in winter, and dusty, harsh environments that challenge electronic systems.
• Connectivity Limitations: Remote industrial sites lacked reliable cellular coverage, creating significant hurdles for real-time data transfer and remote drone control required for autonomous operations.
  
• Vast Distances Between Sites: With clients operating hundreds of industrial sites across regional Australia, travel to these locations for maintenance or troubleshooting represented significant time and cost investments.
  
• Power Reliability Issues: Many remote sites lacked stable grid access, necessitating backup power systems capable of returning drones safely to their docks in case of outages.
  

These challenges were magnified by the critical nature of the operations being supported. Clients needed reliable, consistent data collection without the traditional high costs and safety risks of manual inspections.

Sensorem developed SensHub, a comprehensive autonomous drone solution integrating DJI Dock hardware with custom communication systems and FlytBase AI-R software. The solution includes:

• Hardware Components: 20 drone-in-a-box systems (7 DJI Dock 1 and 13 DJI Dock 2 units) deployed across multiple industrial sites, each equipped with cameras and specialized sensors.
• Custom Communications Infrastructure: Purpose-built communication cabinets house Starlink satellite connectivity, VHF radio over internet, backup power systems, and cellular connectivity where available.
• Software Integration: FlytBase AI-R provides the autonomous flight control and object detection capabilities, integrated with Sensorem's cloud-based Dronos platform for data management.
• Remote Operations Center: A centralized facility in Perth houses trained pilots who monitor all drone operations across the network, enabling one-to-many drone management.

The SenseHub autonomous drone system operates through a streamlined workflow:

• Drones are programmed for regular autonomous inspection missions or can be triggered by security events.
• Communication systems maintain constant connection between remote sites and Sensorem's operations center via Starlink satellite.
• FlytBase AI-R software manages autonomous flight paths, obstacle avoidance, and object detection (vehicles, people, and anomalies).
• Captured data is processed in real-time with AI algorithms for immediate alerts, while also being stored for detailed analysis.
• Findings are presented through Sensorem's Dronos platform, providing clients with actionable insights through a secure, cloud-based interface.
• Remote pilots monitor multiple operations simultaneously, intervening only when necessary while the system maintains 24/7 autonomous capability.

Sensorem began their autonomous drone journey in 2023 as an early adopter of the DJI Dock system. Initial deployments focused on solving specific customer use cases, such as bird scaring at grain storage facilities, before expanding to comprehensive site monitoring, security, and asset inspection.
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"As with any new technology, and as an early adopter, the journey from initial deployment to the maturing of operations can sometimes feel slightly overwhelming. But we've proven that it's worth it to stick with it." said Ed Boxall, Founder and Managing Director, Sensorem.

The implementation process required close collaboration with regulators to secure BVLOS approvals. Sensorem designed their systems for minimum six-month maintenance intervals, significantly reducing the need for site visits. This approach was validated when first-generation systems required no maintenance during their initial six-month deployment period, despite operating in harsh environmental conditions.

Sensorem's autonomous drone network has delivered significant operational benefits across multiple dimensions:

• Operational Efficiency
  • Completed over 11,000 autonomous BVLOS flights with plans to reach 30,000 flights by the end of 2025
  • Enabled 24/7 drone operations in remote locations without requiring on-site personnel
  • Reduced need for dangerous manual inspections in extreme environments
• Expanded Use Cases
  • Initial deployment for bird scaring at grain facilities expanded to include comprehensive site monitoring, security surveillance, and asset inspection
  • AI-powered object detection now provides automatic alerts for vehicles, people, and anomalies, including nighttime detection

"Once deployed, clients quickly recognized additional applications beyond their initial requirements. As they gained confidence in the technology, we worked closely to refine workflows, leading to more integrated and data-driven decision making processes." said Ed Boxall, Founder and Managing Director, Sensorem

The solution has proven particularly valuable for clients with large portfolios of industrial sites across regional Australia. Rather than deploying staff for routine inspections and monitoring, these organizations now rely on Sensorem's autonomous drone network to provide consistent, real-time insights while minimizing human intervention.

Sensorem plans to deploy approximately 30 additional autonomous drone systems in the next 12 months, nearly tripling their current network size. This expansion will enable more comprehensive coverage across client sites throughout Australia.
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"The AI side is the really interesting part. It's about the data we're capturing and the data you have to sift through and make decisions from, and you want those drones to be able to react to those decisions. If we can automate those processes, the whole thing just takes another step forward." said Cooper Smart, General Manager, Sensorem

Future developments will focus on one-to-many operations, where a single remote pilot can monitor multiple autonomous drones simultaneously, further increasing operational efficiency and scalability.

Sensorem's successful deployment of autonomous drone networks across remote Australian industrial sites demonstrates how innovative technology solutions can overcome extreme environmental challenges. By integrating DJI Dock hardware with FlytBase AI-R software and custom communication systems, Sensorem has created a reliable, scalable solution that delivers consistent results even in harsh conditions.
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"It's a really exciting time. The stars have aligned with this technology, and it's going to be really interesting to see what happens next." said Ed Boxall, Founder and Managing Director, Sensorem

Q1. How do autonomous drones operate reliably in extreme Australian conditions?

Sensorem's solution combines ruggedized hardware, redundant communication systems using Starlink satellite connectivity, and backup power solutions specifically designed for harsh conditions. The systems have operated successfully in temperatures ranging from freezing to 45°C.
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Q2. What regulatory approvals are needed for autonomous drone operations in industrial settings?

Autonomous drone operations typically require Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) approvals from aviation authorities. Sensorem has secured these approvals for their operations, including Operations Near People (ONP) for industrial sites where staff may be present.

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Q3. What maintenance is required for drone-in-a-box systems in remote locations?

Sensorem designed their systems to operate with maintenance intervals of approximately six months. Their first deployments proved the reliability of the integrated solution, with systems operating flawlessly from initial installation through the full six-month period before first maintenance.

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Q4. How does AI enhance autonomous drone operations for industrial sites?

AI technology enables automatic detection of vehicles, people, and anomalies in real-time, allowing drones to respond intelligently to changing site conditions. The integration of FlytBase AI-R with Sensorem's systems provides object detection capabilities even during nighttime operations.