Australian Securities Exchange-listed microcap RocketDNA says the country’s largest autonomous drone deployment is now “live” at four coal mines in central Queensland operated by BHP Mitsubishi Alliance (BMA).
The company says BMA is flying an average 1500 missions a month with a 16-drone fleet under beyond visual line-of-sight (BVLOS) approvals issued by Australia’s national Civil Aviation Safety Authority.
“This program has already logged more than 2000 hours of autonomous flight time and over 4400 missions, turning drones into always-on data capability rather than an occasional service,” RocketDNA says.
“That means fewer people in hazardous areas, less downtime when conditions change and clearer, more up‑to‑date information on the bench, stockpiles and haul roads so decisions can be made quickly and with confidence.”
RocketDNA says its broad area BVLOS approval allows drones to operate beyond visual line of sight across large areas without past site‑by‑site approvals that slowed programs.
The company’s share price is down about 23% in the past month but has risen 15% so far in 2026, capitalising RocketDNA at circa-A$29 million. It reported 2026 first-quarter revenue of $2.47 million, up 49% year-on-year, and broke even with modest net operating cashflow for the first time in the period. Founded as Rocketmine in 2012, RocketDNA listed on the ASX in 2020.
The company said its xBot drone flights increased by more than 110% in the first three months of 2026 and it was deploying a Beta version of its Skylink operating platform, which CEO Chris Clark said enabled “centralised mission management and … large-scale, enterprise-level autonomous operations across multiple sites”.
RocketDNA had about $3 million in the bank at the end of March this year.
The company said its BMA drones had an 80km operating range, “with minimal site infrastructure”, and worked in “complex airspace”.
“Certain missions are conducted within one nautical mile of a busy aerodrome near Moranbah, where the airport sees about 40 to 50 aircraft movements per day and services three commercial airlines,” it said.
“To support this safely, RocketDNA works in close coordination with Qantas and other carriers under strict engagement and deconfliction procedures that allow on-demand drone operations alongside regular passenger traffic.
“Since those procedures commenced the operation has deconflicted more than 400 flights involving aircraft taking off or landing at Moranbah Airport.”
RocketDNA said the BMA project created a “strong foundation for broader digital, automation and AI-enabled workflows in the future”.
