Amongst cluster of warehouses in Tauranga’s industrial zone, there’s a large shed with no signage.
Inside are workers developing some of the world’s most technologically sophisticated and revolutionary modes of transport.
It’s the head quarters of Syos Aerospace, a drone manufacturer that has just signed contracts with the UK’s Ministry of Defence worth $66.8 million dollars.
Syos Aerospace CEO and founder Samuel Vye spoke to Q+A the day before he left to the UK for the announcement of the deal. While he was unable to divulge the details of the deal, he was happy to talk about the work of his robotics company.
The Tauranga warehouse is Syos’s development and research hub. The prototypes are trialled in New Zealand but manufactured in a facility South East of London. UAV’s or unmanned aerial vehicles make up the bulk of the work but Syos has also developed, long range uncrewed vessels, helicopters and ground vehicles.
Inside their headquarters, an array of aerial drones and parts sit on long work benches. It’s the weekend so not many technicians are in but in an adjoining area, an engineering is fine tuning the rotor on an uncrewed helicopter.
There are impressive display prototypes in a showroom area. One of them, a missile shaped drone, with retro Thunderbirds vibes, has one role, Samuel Vye explained; to shoot other drones out of the sky.
The robotics company has been supplying the British Ministry of Defence with drones and won contracts with other customers up against some of the world’s biggest aero-space companies.
When Q+A asked Vye about why a small Bay of Plenty robotics company is becoming a go-to drone manufacturer, he replied: “It’s not about the specific drone.”
“It’s about the capability that Syos Aerospace has in rapidly developing the next drone that’s needed by the customer. So we’re always horizon scanning what the future looks like so at the drop of a hat we can spend six weeks and rapidly develop the next drone systems that a customer might currently need.”
He told Q+A that it would be keen to bid for contracts when the New Zealand Ministry of Defence puts out tenders for drone supply. The Ministry’s recently released Defence Capability Plan indicates it has between $200 million and $450m to spend on drones for maritime and security surveillance and combat.
At a UK military base this last week, Vye and his team presented the company’s latest drone technology to British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer along with Prime Minister Christopher Luxon.
The British Prime Minister made special mention of Syos in when announcing a new UK and NZ defence co-operation agreement. Starmer confirmed that the drone deal with Syos would support Ukraine.
Back in Tauranga, the Syos CEO answers questions about how their drones may be used in war.
“We don’t stick weapons on any of our drone systems.”
“So we stay away from that controversial subject so all our systems are set up as surveillance, cargo systems to be multi role, multi use by our customers.”
On the question of whether the drones provide a platform to be armed, Vye said: “I guess a Toyota Hilux provides a platform to be armed.”
The systems developed by Syos have a wide range of applications beyond conflict zones. There’s a race on to produce long range aerial drones and USVs, unmanned surface vehicles; boats that can surveille and patrol the far reaches of New Zealand’s massive EEZ. Other systems can be used for conservation work, fire fighting and search and rescue. Vye said the world will soon look very different.
“Imagine numerous swarming drone systems in the sky, on the ground, in the sea.
“The low cost, high volume, mass application of drones is really the future.”
