Precision solutions specialist Position Partners has announced a new UAS for the Australasian civil construction, survey, mining and agricultural industries – SIRIUS by MAVinci.
Designed for a wide range of survey applications, the SIRIUS UAS is a fixed wing structure ideal for corridor mapping roads, pipelines and power lines, calculating stockpile volumes, monitoring erosion, reconciliation and progress reporting.
Weighing only three kilograms and with a wingspan of 1.6 metres, SIRIUS is ideal for one-man operation. Unlike manned flyovers that are often delayed due to weather conditions or cloud cover, SIRIUS can fly under cloud and despite strong winds and rain.
“We are delighted to introduce this exciting product into the Australian, New Zealand and PNG markets – SIRIUS represents an evolution in UAS survey technology with greater flexibility, robust hardware and value for money,” said Garry MacPhail, Survey Business Manager at Position Partners.
Unlike other UA systems, SIRIUS can capture images defined by irregular shapes, reducing the amount of data processing to the specific area of attention.
SIRIUS also gives the user greater control during flight, with “fully automatic” mode supported by “autopilot assisted” mode or “fully manual” mode. This flexibility is better for landing management, enabling navigation around any unforseen obstacles.
To complete an aerial survey, users simply programme in a flight plan using the included desktop flight planning software. Load the flight plan onto the UAS, stand at the desired take-off area and launch the SIRIUS by switching on autopilot and throwing it into the air!
Once airborne, SIRIUS will fly the pre-planned route, taking multiple images with a high-resolution on-board camera. It then begins its descent to the programmed landing area so that the images can be post-processed.
As the exclusive distributor for MAVinci products in Australia, New Zealand and PNG, Position Partners will offer complete support and training services for the SIRIUS UAS.
“Position Partners pioneered the use of UAS technology for surveying in Australia in 2011,” said MacPhail. “We employ UAS experts and continue to work closely with CASA to ensure we meet the support and training needs of our customers as they learn about the use of this technology in their field.”
Commenting on the new partnership between MAVinci and Position Partners, MAVinci CEO Johanna Claussen, said: “We are excited to announce our distribution agreement with Position Partners. As the leading provider of mapping and spatial technology solutions in Australia, it is a perfect fit for the SIRIUS.”
Source: Press Release
For more information about SIRIUS, visit
Nice idea but CASA won’t be allowing a single person operation of a UAV anytime soon.
Hi Andrew,
In fact CASA does already allow the operation of UAVs by a single person. At Position Partners, our UAV product manager has worked extensively with CASA as initially they had no guidelines for the use of UAVs for surveying. If you are interesting in finding out more please get in touch!