The Adelaide site will complement DroneShield’s existing operations in Sydney and expand its advanced RF and EW capabilities. Adelaide was selected for its strong defence and aerospace presence, skilled workforce, and established infrastructure supporting advanced technology development.
This milestone coincides with DroneShield surpassing 400 employees globally, nearly doubling its team over the past year and quadrupling it within two years. Approximately 300 staff are software and hardware engineers, with the company continuing to recruit for about 100 additional positions worldwide.
DroneShield Chief Executive, Oleg Vornik, said, “South Australia is recognised as a national leader in defence and space industries, with Adelaide home to a highly skilled and experienced workforce. Establishing our first R&D office in Australia outside of our Sydney Headquarters – in Adelaide – is a strategic move that supports DroneShield’s mission to deliver world-leading counter-drone and EW solutions.”
He added, “DroneShield’s growth to 400 employees globally – with the majority of our team being engineers – reflects our commitment to deep technical capability and delivery.”
DroneShield Chief Product and Technology Officer, Angus Bean, said, “DroneShield’s new R&D facility in Adelaide marks a significant step forward in our commitment to ensuring our technology roadmap is being supported by the best engineering minds nationally. Our new facility is critical to accelerating the development of our next-generation counter-drone and EW technologies, while expanding our engineering footprint and supporting critical project development for global customers.”
Premier of South Australia, The Hon Peter Malinauskas, said, “South Australia is the Defence State, and has been recognised by the Business Council as the best place in the country to do business. We welcome DroneShield making the choice to conduct research and development here in Adelaide, creating 20 highly skilled engineering roles. As a Government, we have a strong focus on growing our Research and Development ecosystem, which has the capacity to build our economic complexity and our state’s prosperity.”
DroneShield’s expansion in South Australia forms part of its broader international growth strategy, including manufacturing initiatives in Sydney, Europe, and the United States. The move comes amid record global demand and heightened awareness of drone threats and electronic warfare requirements.
