Gunggandji Aerospace

What Gunggandji Aerospace does

Gunggandji Aerospace (legal entity Gunggandji Project Management Pty Ltd) is an Australian professional services firm founded in January 2022 by Daniel Joinbee, operating as Australia's only 100% Aboriginal-owned aerospace consultancy. The company delivers defence, aviation, space, airfield, and project management consulting alongside Indigenous procurement advisory and ORAT change management to government agencies, defence contractors, and commercial aviation operators. Its core differentiator is a combination of DISP Level 1 security clearance, Supply Nation, B Corp, and Social Traders certifications, with founder and team credentials rooted in Air Force service and air traffic control expertise.

The firm's offerings are structured across three pillars. Professional Consultancy Services encompass Defence Consulting, Airfield Consulting, Aviation Consulting, Space Consulting, Project Management, Global Logistics, ORAT Change Management, and Indigenous Procurement Plans. Career pathway programs include the Raising Horizons initiative (launched October 2024 at NRL Cowboys House, reaching 100+ students from 29 remote Queensland communities), the SPARAS emergency aviation services partnership with Toll Aviation and the South Australian Government (anchored to an $870M state aircraft investment, with an Adelaide Airport operations centre expected live November 2026), and Non-Traditional Career Pathways traineeships co-designed with clients. The Yalma Research & Development sub-brand extends into classified technology development for advanced aircraft, UAVs, and space exploration.

The business model is B2B enterprise consultancy with project-based, quote-negotiated engagements, distributing directly to government programme offices, prime contractors, and airports. With 6 employees and offices in Townsville and Adelaide, the firm is founder-led, privately held with no disclosed institutional capital, and has secured anchor engagements with Boeing, Melbourne Airport, Beca, and Jacobs. Revenue is generated through professional service fees and government-funded workforce development programs such as the Albanese Government's Women in Aviation initiative.

Name

Gunggandji Aerospace

Legal name

Gunggandji Project Management Pty Ltd

Website

https://gunggandjiaerospace.com.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

2022

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Gunggandji Aerospace is Australia's only 100% Aboriginal-owned aerospace and defence consultancy, delivering cleared consulting, Indigenous procurement advisory, and workforce pathway programs to government agencies, defence contractors, and aviation operators.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Townsville

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Professional Consultancy Services: Gunggandji Aerospace generates revenue through providing defence consulting, aviation consulting, space consulting, airfield consulting, Indigenous procurement planning, ORAT change management, project management, and reconciliation consulting services to government and industry clients.
2. Career Pathway Programs: Revenue generated through designing and delivering workforce development programs such as the Raising Horizons program, funded by Australian Government through Women in Aviation initiative, and the SPARAS staffing partnership.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Gunggandji Aerospace provides professional consultancy services across defence, aviation, space, and airfield domains, including systems engineering, workforce planning, acquisition and procurement, ORAT change management, and Indigenous procurement plan advisory. The company also delivers workforce development programs such as the Raising Horizons initiative and operates an aerospace research and development group (Yalma) focused on advanced aircraft, UAVs, and space exploration technologies.

Product overview

Gunggandji Aerospace is Australia’s only 100% Aboriginal-owned aerospace and defence consultancy, operating as a single unified service offering built around three pillars: Professional Consultancy Services, Building Career Pathways, and Aerospace Research & Development. The Professional Consultancy Services pillar encompasses Defence Consulting, Airfield Consulting, Aviation Consulting, Space Consulting, Project Management, Global Logistics, ORAT Change Management, and Indigenous Procurement Plans. The career pathways pillar includes the Raising Horizons program for Indigenous youth, the SPARAS emergency aviation services partnership, and Non-Traditional Career Pathways traineeships. The Yalma Research & Development division focuses on aerospace defence innovation. These offerings are interconnected through the company's profit-for-purpose mission to create pathways for Indigenous Australians and veterans into aviation, aerospace, and defence industries.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Yalma Research & Development: Aerospace research and development group focused on developing classified technologies for advanced aircraft, UAVs, and space exploration.
• Raising Horizons
• SPARAS

Products and services

• Defence Consulting Comprehensive consulting and technical advisory services for defence clients covering workforce planning, systems engineering, strategic policy advisory, acquisition and procurement, and logistics and sustainment. Aimed at Commonwealth and state government agencies, defence programme offices, and defence contractors.
• Airfield Consulting Aerodrome consulting for managing and safeguarding flight operations in remote and regional Australian military locations, including safety and quality management systems, aerodrome management systems, and specialist project management.
• Aviation Consulting Aviation consulting with expertise across air traffic control, airspace management, aviation safety investigations, and human factors analysis, provided to commercial airports and aviation operators.
• Space Consulting Space consultancy services including ground-based military and civil infrastructure, space domain awareness, domestic space industry advisory, and sovereign space capability development.
• Project Management Programme and project management services for complex, sensitive projects across domestic and international defence and aviation programmes.
• Global Logistics Logistics solutions for defence and government clients including humanitarian response, supply chain operations, estate management, and integrated project solutions.
• ORAT Change Management Operational Readiness and Airport Transfer services ensuring smooth transitions from construction to operation, including governance frameworks, stakeholder engagement, regulatory compliance, and training.
• Indigenous Procurement Plans Strategic supplier diversity advisory for Commonwealth agencies and prime contractors, including gap analysis, Indigenous engagement plans, and supplier diversity strategies.
• Raising Horizons School-based non-traditional career pathway program empowering Indigenous youth, particularly girls, to pursue careers in aviation through hands-on experiences, industry engagement, and mentorship, reaching 29 remote and regional communities across North and Far North Queensland.
• SPARAS (State Police, Ambulance, and Rescue Aviation Services) Partnership with Toll Aviation, Royal Flying Doctor Service, and South Australian Government to deliver emergency aviation services from Adelaide Airport as part of the state's $870 million investment in new fixed and rotary wing aircraft, with Indigenous employment as a priority.
• Yalma Research & Development Aerospace defence R&D group developing classified technologies for advanced aircraft, UAVs, and space exploration, including advanced prototyping and compliant mechanism development, with all-Indigenous capability.
• Non-Traditional Career Pathways Traineeship program co-designed with clients to create meaningful career opportunities in the aerospace industry for candidates who may not have followed traditional career paths, including Indigenous Australians and veterans.

Quantifiable outcome

• Award winner - Space Connect's Indigenous Business of the Year 2024
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

19 partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• NRL Cowboys HousecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partnership for delivery of Raising Horizons aviation career program. NRL Cowboys House provides culturally safe boarding facility for over 100 Indigenous students from remote communities, enabling them to attend secondary school in Townsville and participate in the program.
• Rex AirlinescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Raising Horizons program providing aviation industry expertise and regional connectivity to remote communities. Rex Airlines has long history of supporting regional and remote communities.
• Aviation AustraliacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner providing state-of-the-art training facilities and world-class training programs for Raising Horizons participants. Aviation Australia brings two decades of expertise in producing skilled aviation professionals.
• Bespoke Solutions ConsultingsupportingImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerFemale-founded consulting firm supporting Gunggandji Aerospace in developing and delivering the Raising Horizons program. Provides media and communications expertise.
• BoeingcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partner for Rotary Technical Maintenance Workforce project developing strategies for Apache and Blackhawk aircraft integration. Boeing collaboration extends to student work shadow programs and aerospace experiences for Indigenous youth.
• Melbourne AirportcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for change management consulting on third runway implementation. Gunggandji Aerospace led project through scoping, planning, launch implementation, risk management, and taxiway renaming.
• BecacoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerProfessional services partnership for Aerodrome Operations and Air Traffic Management expertise supporting DASR.139 implementation. Gunggandji specialists integrated into Beca team for streamlined aerodrome regulation.
• Toll AviationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor partnership for SPARAS (State Police, Ambulance, and Rescue Aviation Services) operations centre at Adelaide Airport. Part of South Australian Government's $870 million investment in new aircraft. Gunggandji provides staffing for operations centre.
• Royal Flying Doctor Service of AustraliacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in SPARAS delivery across South Australia. RFDS provides essential emergency aerial medical services and will operate from the new operations centre at Adelaide Airport.
• South Australian GovernmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment partner for SPARAS contract, representing $870 million investment in new fixed and rotary wing aircraft. Government contract enables Indigenous employment pathways and operations centre establishment.
• Indigenous Defence and Infrastructure Consortium (IDIC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partner providing staffing for SPARAS operations centre alongside Gunggandji Aerospace. Partnership marks IDIC's first entry into South Australia's aviation sector.
• Australian Airports Association (AAA)supportingGTM or Marketing PartnerIndustry membership providing representation for more than 340 airports and aerodromes across Australia. AAA serves as unified national voice advocating for airport sector development.
• Space Industry Association of Australia (SIAA)supportingGTM or Marketing PartnerGunggandji Aerospace supports SIAA in welcoming the Technology Safeguards Agreement between US and Australia, enabling launch of US rockets from traditional lands and creating new business opportunities.
• Supply NationsupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerIndigenous business peak body facilitating First Nations US/Australia trade delegation. Gunggandji Aerospace participated in delegation engaging with Native American Nations and government representatives.
• Townsville HelicopterssupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndustry partner supporting Raising Horizons program, providing helicopter demonstrations and hands-on aviation experiences for Indigenous students.
• Royal Australian Air ForcesupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndustry partner supporting Raising Horizons program, providing site visits and engagement opportunities at RAAF Base Townsville.
• Jet Zero AustraliasupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerCareer Transitions program partner for Raising Horizons, with partner Airbus providing additional industry connection for student career pathways.
• Civil Aviation Academy Australasia (CAAA)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-recipient of Albanese Government Women in Aviation funding, delivering programs for women in aviation including underrepresented groups in regional areas.
• Navigating AviationsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-recipient of Albanese Government Women in Aviation funding, providing support materials and services for managing, supporting and retaining women in aviation sector.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• WSP Australia: Global engineering professional services firm with a strong Australian aviation and defence practice, including airfield and airspace advisory. Competes for similar enterprise and government aviation consulting mandates.
• Deloitte Australia: Big-4 consulting firm with dedicated aerospace and defence, and Indigenous services practices serving Commonwealth and state clients. Overlaps with Gunggandji on defence consulting and Indigenous engagement work.
• Jacobs: Global engineering and defence services firm with a large Australian aerospace and defence practice. Jacobs partners with Gunggandji on the First Nations Traineeship programme, indicating overlapping client base and workforce development focus.
• KPMG Australia: Big-4 firm with an Australian Defence and Federal Government advisory practice covering aerospace, defence consulting, and Indigenous procurement advisory. Operates broadly in the same consulting space as Gunggandji but at vastly greater scale.
• EY Australia: Big-4 consultancy with a national aerospace, defence and security practice and an Indigenous consulting offering. Competes for similar Commonwealth and state aviation/defence advisory mandates.
• Mott MacDonald: Global engineering consultancy with an established Australian aviation and defence advisory footprint, including airfield operations and ORAT-type change management work that overlaps with Gunggandji's service lines.
• Aurecon: Australian-headquartered engineering and infrastructure advisory with significant aviation and defence clients across ANZ. Comparable on airfield and airport consulting services delivered to enterprise and government clients.

Direct peers

• Beca: Asia-Pacific engineering consultancy with a significant Australian defence and aerodrome operations practice (DASR.139 implementation). Gunggandji specialists are integrated into Beca's team, making them a direct operational peer in aerodrome consulting.
• PA Consulting: Global management and engineering consultancy with deep defence, aerospace, and innovation practices. Comparable to Gunggandji in combining defence consulting with forward-looking aerospace R&D and innovation work.
• Indigenous Defence and Infrastructure Consortium (IDIC): Indigenous-owned defence and infrastructure consortium that, alongside Gunggandji Aerospace, is staffing the SPARAS operations centre at Adelaide Airport. Highly comparable as an Indigenous-led defence services consortium pursuing similar Commonwealth and state contracts.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/gunggandji-aerospace

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Gunggandji Aerospace