UAS International Standard

What UAS International Standard does

UAS International Pty Ltd (trading as UAS International, with sub-brand UAS International Standard/UIS) is an Australian private company headquartered in Burleigh Waters, Queensland, founded in 2013-2014 to address safety and regulatory gaps in the commercial unmanned aircraft systems (UAS/RPAS/drone) industry. The company developed and operates the world's first international drone safety and risk management standard, launched in February 2015 at the Avalon Airshow and aligned with ICAO guidelines released in March 2015. Its core product is the UIS standard, comprising approximately 140 core audit standards plus additional specialist category standards, applied through a Salesforce-based cloud platform that issues audit reports and maintains the Panel of Approved UAS Operators.

The company's revenue model is primarily professional services-based, charging operators tier-based audit fees (approximately $100 application fee plus $3,500 for a standard Tier 2 audit and $500 per specialist category), with additional revenue streams including registration fees, transaction fees from UIS Services Contracts routed through the Asia-Pacific RPAS Consortium (ARC), and an indirect revenue stream from QBE Australia insurance premium rebates that incentivise operator registration. The company sells through enterprise field sales targeting large corporate clients, government agencies, and Registered Member Organisations who need assured-quality RPAS operators. Customer segments span media and entertainment, mining and resources, environmental management, agriculture, emergency services/law enforcement, and infrastructure/utilities, with named operators including Australian UAV (AUAV), 3FB Aerworx, Altitude Imaging, Select Solutions, UAVAir, and Aerolens Australia.

Leadership is anchored by former aviation safety regulators and executives, with Ron Bartsch (former Qantas Head of Safety) serving as Chairman and Jim Coyne (former CASA representative to the ICAO RPAS Advisory Group and former Chair of the ICAO UAS Study Group) as Technical Director. The company maintains a small headcount of 11-50 employees, holds no disclosed external funding, and operates strategically through key partnerships with QBE Australia (exclusive insurance partner), Southpac Aerospace (auditor training), Nine Network Australia (launch/promotional partner), and ARC (global distribution).

Name

UAS International Standard

Legal name

UAS International Pty Ltd

Website

https://uasinternational.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

UAS International develops and operates the world's first international drone (RPAS) safety standard, certifying commercial drone operators through tiered audits and maintaining a Panel of Approved Operators for enterprise clients, government agencies, and insurance partners across Australia and the Asia-Pacific region.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Drone/RPAS Auditing and Certification Services

NAICS

Regulation, Licensing, and Inspection of Miscellaneous Commercial Sectors (926150)

SIC

Services-Testing Laboratories (8734)

akta.pro primary industry

UAS Integration, Certification & Compliance Systems (Remote ID, Detect-and-Avoid) (IMABAIAO)

Keywords

• Drone safety standards
• RPAS auditing services
• UAV compliance certification
• Unmanned aircraft auditing
• RPAS operator certification

Headquarters

HQ city

Burleigh Heads

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Audit and Assessment Fees: Tier-based audit fees charged to RPAS operators seeking registration on the Panel of Approved UAS Operators. Tier 1 and Tier 2 operators undergo onsite audits with fees based on complexity and aircraft weight categories.
2. Registration Fees: Initial application and registration fees charged to operators ($100 +GST application fee, with additional audit fees).
3. UIS Services Contract Revenue: Through the Asia-Pacific RPAS Consortium (ARC), operators receive assignments from Registered Member Organisations under standardised UIS Services Contracts, with ARC providing payment assurances.
4. Insurance Premium Incentives: Partner QBE Australia provides premium rebates to operators registered on the Panel of Approved UAS Operators, creating indirect revenue stream through partnership.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

UAS International Standard (UIS) develops and operates the world's first international RPAS/Drone safety and risk management standard aligned with ICAO guidelines. The company conducts tier-based audits of commercial drone operators against approximately 140 core standards plus specialist category standards, and maintains the Panel of Approved UAS Operators—a cloud-based registry where enterprises and government agencies can identify certified operators by service category and specialisation.

Product overview

UAS International Standard is a certification and auditing platform for the commercial drone/RPAS industry. The core product is the UAS International Standard (UIS) - a risk-based safety standard for drone operators. This is supported by the Panel of Approved UAS Operators database (a curated registry of operators that have passed UIS audits), and RPAS Lead Auditor Training courses for certifying auditors. Operators are categorized into Tiers (Tier 1: >150kg, Tier 2: 2-150kg, Tier 3: <2kg) and can be audited for specialist categories including asset inspection, mapping, photography, transportation, and surveillance.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• UAS International Standard (UIS): The world's first international Drone/RPAS/UAV/UAS standard - a risk-based aviation safety standard for unmanned aircraft operations, aligned with ICAO guidelines.

Products and services

• UAS International Standard (UIS) The world's first international risk-based safety and auditing standard for commercial drone/RPAS/UAS/UAV operators. UIS is aligned with ICAO guidelines and provides a universal framework with approximately 140 core audit standards plus specialist category standards. It is for commercial RPAS operators seeking safety certification and for enterprises/government agencies needing assured-quality drone service providers.
• Panel of Approved UAS Operators A cloud-based database hosted on Salesforce listing RPAS operators that have been audited and certified against the UIS Standard. Enterprise clients and Registered Member Organisations access the panel to identify pre-vetted operators by service category and operational specifications including asset inspection, mapping, monitoring/surveillance, photography, seeding/spraying, and transportation.
• RPAS Lead Auditor Training Course An internationally certified one-day lead auditor training course specifically designed for qualified aviation auditors in the unmanned aircraft sector. Developed and delivered by Southpac Aerospace, aligned to ICAO RPAS Manual (2015) and ISO 9001:2008 Quality Management System requirements. Provides BARS accreditation pathway for auditors conducting UIS audits.

Quantifiable outcome

• Industry expected to grow 10x over next decade
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Asia-Pacific RPAS Consortium (ARC)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2018Strategic alliance with ARC for providing drone-powered solutions globally through international network. ARC is finalising partnership with Big Four professional services firm. UIS Services Contracts are managed through ARC structure.
• Ernst & Young (EY)minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 February 2018EY partner Adam Fennessy co-hosted breakfast event with former UASI Chairman Ron Bartsch to address drone technology and safe incorporation into society.
• QBE AustraliacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 May 2015Exclusive insurance partnership where QBE provides premium reductions to operators meeting UISI standards. QBE has been underwriting UAS risks for more than 10 years and is the only Australian-based insurer with a dedicated UAS underwriter. QBE served as founding launch partner for the UISI Standard at Avalon Airshow 2015.
• Southpac AerospacecoreTechnology or Integration · 1 May 2015International training organisation specialising in aviation training courses across 20+ countries and four continents. Trains and accredits all UISI auditors through their RPAS Lead Auditor Certification Course - a world first aligned to ICAO RPAS Manual (2015).
• Nine Network AustraliacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2015Lead launch partner for the UASI Standard unveiled at the Australian International Airshow. The Nine Network represents Australia's premier television broadcaster committed to promoting drone safety standards.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Others

• Drone Industry Insights: Drone industry market research and analytics firm that ranks commercial drone services companies globally and provides industry intelligence. Comparable as an adjacent data/insights provider in the commercial UAS ecosystem, though not a certification competitor.
• ANRA Technologies: U-space and drone traffic management software provider serving regulators and operators. Comparable as an adjacent software platform enabling safe drone operations, similar in mission (UAS safety) to UIS but operating in airspace management rather than operator certification.
• Altitude Angel: U-space and drone airspace management platform provider. Comparable as an adjacent UAS safety/compliance technology company operating in the same broader drone-safety category as UIS, though focused on airspace rather than operator auditing.
• PrecisionHawk: Commercial drone services and data analytics company serving enterprise verticals such as utilities, agriculture, and insurance. Comparable as a participant in the certified-operator ecosystem — a potential UIS customer/operator rather than a direct competitor.
• DroneDeploy: Drone data platform for mapping, inspection, and analytics, widely used by commercial RPAS operators. Comparable as an adjacent software platform whose users (RPAS operators) overlap with UIS's customer base, though it is a tool provider rather than a certifier.
• Aloft (formerly AirMap and Kittyhawk): Drone airspace management, UTM, and flight operations platform formed from the merger of AirMap and Kittyhawk. Comparable as an adjacent UAS safety/compliance technology platform with similar mission scope (safe commercial drone operations), though focused on airspace and LAANC authorization rather than operator auditing.
• DroneShield: Counter-UAS (C-UAS) detection and defeat systems provider focused on security and defense applications. Comparable as an adjacent company in the broader UAS safety and security ecosystem, though addressing drone defense rather than commercial operator certification.
• Skyward (a Verizon company): Drone operations management and UTM platform owned by Verizon. Comparable as an enterprise-focused UAS software platform whose operator customers overlap with UIS's customer base, though positioned as a connectivity/management layer rather than an auditing/certification authority.
• AUVSI (Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International): Largest UAS industry trade association, focused on advocacy, education, and industry advancement rather than commercial certification. Comparable as a thematically adjacent organization in the commercial drone ecosystem with similar stakeholder relationships, though non-profit rather than a commercial standards body.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/uasi3
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/uas-international

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about UAS International Standard