Drone Forge to deliver the first turnkey drone fleet in Australia

Australian startup Drone Forge has announced today it has commenced packaging what it says is the world’s first turn-key fleet of drones.

The fleet, DF Fleet 1, is estimated to begin delivery in 2026 and will offer direct exposure to a new and globally sought-after asset class, in a move that is set to revolutionise how investors, governments and commercial operators access and scale drone technology.

“The drone market has evolved rapidly and this has highlighted the need for mature asset management solutions that give direct and diversified exposure to the global drone opportunity,” said Thomas Symes, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Drone Forge.

The global drone market has grown rapidly in recent years and is projected to reach US$90.7 billion by 2030 across commercial and defence applications. Yet a lack of unified, scalable asset management solutions has limited take-up, until now.

“The market does not need more drones: it needs a company that can enable, support and scale customers,” Symes said. “By packaging a turn-key fleet for institutional investors and large-scale operators, we’re not only making drone technology more accessible, but enabling operators across a diverse range of industries to take advantage of the latest unmanned aerial systems.”

Drone Forge’s cross-sector focus supports a wide range of operators in procuring, insuring and managing drone assets. Applications of drone technology now span emergency services, utilities, mining, oil and gas, law enforcement, defence and government, and operators in each case are seeking reliable partners to unlock the full potential of the technology.

“DF Fleet 1 is about transforming drones from standalone assets into essential, enterprise-grade infrastructure — opening a new chapter for innovation and investment in the sector,” Symes added.

Drone Forge says it eliminates a layer of complexity for large industry operators, governments and investors by offering a single trusted brand with the infrastructure to support every stage of the drone journey, from initial purchase and underwriting to ongoing management of the assets on behalf of the operator.

Drone Forge’s ability to support and scale its customers is based on the ability to provide:

• specialist drone insurance underwritten through Lloyd’s of London
• full-service fleet management, packaging and maintenance with robust asset performance tracking.
   

Founded in August 2024, Drone Forge has quickly secured strategic partnerships, demonstrating strong momentum and growth. In March 2025, the company signed a letter of intent with Airbus to service the Flexrotor system in the Asia–Pacific region.

In August 2024, the company secured a partnership with Anavia to accelerate the growth of the HT-100, a heavy-duty, long-range unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) designed for a variety of roles including intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR), and commercial logistics. Drone Forge is also an authorised DJI reseller and support facility in Australia.

“With these alliances and robust capital backing, we’re poised to revolutionise the drone market and deliver next-generation solutions to Australia’s most demanding sectors,” Symes said.

The company recently opened a new headquarters 20 minutes north of Perth CBD to expand and scale its operations.

Image caption: Anavia HT-100 heavy-duty UAV. Source: Anavia