Kea Aerospace launches to new heights with groundbreaking Christchurch complex

Christchurch aerospace company Kea Aerospace has officially opened its new manufacturing and operations facility. 

And the new facility will become home to the largest unmanned aircraft in New Zealand.

Located near Christchurch Airport on Sir William Pickering Dr, the new state-of-the-art facility will give it the space to manufacture and store its latest project, an unmanned solar-powered aircraft, the Kea Atmos Mk2.

The Mk2, with a wingspan of 35ms, is three times bigger than the next largest aircraft, the Atmos Mk1. 

The aircraft will allow for multiple weeks of continuous flying, unlike the current Atmos Mk1 aircraft, which has a sun up to sun down flight duration period. 

Kea Aerospace celebrated the launch with an event featuring investors and aerospace leaders from across New Zealand. 

Co-founder Philipp Sueltrop said the event, held this month, allowed Kea to showcase the new facility and speak about the opportunities ahead for New Zealand’s growing aerospace sector.

Sueltrop said the new facility allows the company to produce most of the parts needed for the aircraft on site, while other parts would still be made in New Zealand.

As well as additional space for manufacturing, the new site also has a purpose-built mission control centre, allowing for remote mission control in shifts from the office, and minimal staff needing to be deployed to the launch site. 

Sueltrop said the main focus for the company with the Mk2 will be maritime surveillance, such as monitoring waters for illegal fishing, smuggling, and aiding in search and rescue missions.

Large parts of New Zealand and Australian waters go unmonitored, which is where the Mk2 will slot in, according to Sueltrop.

“The realm is huge, I think six per cent of the water’s surface is New Zealand’s responsibility. If you take New Zealand and Australia together, I think it’s twenty one percent.”

The new facility also houses Aerospace New Zealand, with hopes to accommodate more businesses in the future.