By Ross Slater, Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts.
The aim of the First Nations Drone Policy Partnerships project is to incorporate First Nations perspectives and stories in technology policy development, and elevate the expertise and experiences of First Nations drone professionals and organisations using drones.
While we still have a long way to go, the APS Capability Reinvestment Fund has enabled a real transformation in our approach to drone policy design. We are developing partnerships with First Nations individuals and organisations to explore the role drones can play in ‘Closing the Gap’ targets, and to design drone policy accordingly.
There are many great examples of how drones in Australia are enabling innovative ways to support ‘Closing the Gap’ targets. For instance, drones enable delivery of medicines and essential medical supplies to remote communities, and facilitate relationships to Country when used by Rangers and Traditional Owners in caring for Country.
Some of the key issues for drone policy raised in conversations so far include: cultural safety in training and licencing, protocols for technology use on Country, and data sovereignty – across collection, management and storage. Our approach seeks to amplify First Nations perspectives and experiences on such issues to help design effective policy to support better outcomes.
A big focus of the project so far has been engagement with stakeholders, including First Nations individuals, organisations and businesses, and relevant government agencies, including Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW), National Indigenous Australians Agency (NIAA), and Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA). Conversations have been critical in providing impetus and confidence to rethink policy ‘business as usual’. Policy development processes have often excluded or silenced First Nations views. Accordingly, we hope our partnerships approach facilitates shared decision making on drone policy that will better support ‘Closing the Gap’.
The team is busy organising activities occurring between now and June, including thematic discussions with stakeholders, sharing case studies, and a policy design workshop to develop priorities and framework for sustainable drone policy partnerships. Learnings from the project will be shared through the APS Academy site, as well as on the project website.
For more information, or if you’d like to be involved, get in touch with us.