Australian drone technology pioneer Freespace Operations has achieved a breakthrough in drone logistics with the development of its new Cooperative Lift technology – enabling multiple heavy-lift drones to carry up to four times the weight of a single aircraft.
The company claims the breakthrough represents a “holy grail” for the drone logistics industry, allowing Freespace’s Australian-designed and built Callisto 50 drones to work in synchrony to balance and transport payloads of up to 100 kilograms. By coordinating flight patterns and managing dynamic forces across multiple aircraft, the system effectively turns individual drones into a single, modular lifting team.
Co-founder Ken King says the achievement unlocks entirely new possibilities for logistics operations across defence, infrastructure and emergency services.
“Getting drones to physically work together to carry weight is a completely different challenge,” he says. “Our breakthrough proves it can be done safely, reliably, and at scale – multiplying the lifting power of a single drone while retaining all the flexibility of smaller, modular systems.”
The capability positions drones as a viable alternative to helicopters for repetitive, hazardous or cost-sensitive missions. Freespace says the technology could transform ship-to-ship and ship-to-shore logistics, mining and exploration, energy infrastructure, and disaster response operations by allowing operators to move cargo, equipment, and supplies in locations where conventional air transport is impractical or expensive.
The Cooperative Lift system builds on Freespace’s existing “Ship Ops” technology, demonstrated during Exercise Talisman Sabre 2025, where Callisto 50 drones showcased autonomous maritime delivery operations.
Founded in Melbourne in 2019, Freespace Operations has delivered 29 government and defence contracts worth over A$9 million and continues to expand its role in advancing next-generation logistics solutions for defence and industry.
