Redbird Aero acquired by Skyports Drone Services

Sydney-based aeromedical and drone services company Redbird Aero has been acquired for an undisclosed sum by Skyports Drone Services, as the self-described "world’s leading drone airline" marks its official entry into the Australian market a year after raising US$110 million ($172 million) in a Series C round.

Co-founded by former Australian Army helicopter pilot Scott Wheeler and former Royal Australian Air Force F/A-18 pilot Tim Willetts, Redbird Aero provides life-saving medical services and disaster relief to rural, remote, and Indigenous communities.

The company was established to bridge "critical gaps in emergency medical supply" and "enhance remote and rural healthcare support efforts on a global scale", Redbird Aero has focused on bringing large-cargo remotely piloted aircraft systems (RPAS) weighing more than 150kg to Australian skies.

This has been done through regulatory development, operational innovation, and strategic partnerships, putting the startup at the "forefront of enabling safe, scalable, and sustainable drone logistics that can support Australia’s most challenging environments".

Wheeler, Redbird's CEO, will see his role change to head of APAC at Skyports following the acquisition. Willetts decided not to join the company so he could focus on another project, but told Business News Australia he was "hugely supportive of Skyports and Scott".

London-headquartered Skyports has pioneered drone deliveries for medical logistics in the UK and continental Europe, working alongside the UK’s National Health Service (NHS) to transport critical supplies, including pathology samples, vaccines, and medicines to hospitals and remote healthcare facilities.

With this expansion into Australia, Skyports is set to apply its expertise in RPAS to improve healthcare access and strengthen supply chain resilience across rural and remote regions.

The group also plans to expand its automated drone inspection services that simplify difficult, time-consuming and dangerous jobs, such as linear asset inspection, waterway monitoring and real-time surveillance.

"I’m thrilled to welcome Skyports to the Australian RPAS market," says Wheeler.

"Skyports’ extensive experience and attitude to safety make it the ideal partner to fulfil Redbird Aero’s mission in helping, serving and protecting people in regional and remote parts of Australia."

The move is also a full-circle moment for Skyports Drone Services director Alex Brown, an Australian who studied at the University of Adelaide and previously worked at PwC Australia as a senior management consulting associate and at Virgin Australia in group strategy.

"As an Australian I’m incredibly excited to be expanding into the Australian market," Brown says.

"The potential for drone delivery and inspection services in Australia is huge due to its unique geography. We’ll be bringing our proven delivery and inspection services and existing customer partnerships to Australia.

"Thanks to the great baseline built by Scott and Redbird Aero we hope to expand rapidly into the market, with our first flights starting within weeks."

Last year Skyports raised US$110 million ($172 million) in a Series C round with an equity investment from IRIDIUM, which is part of the infrastructure development arm of Spanish multinational ACS Group.