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Meet the Team

Leigh Kelson

Leigh Kelson

Founder

A life-long tech entrepreneur with a proven track record in taking companies from inception to listing. Leigh brings a wealth of experience in technology commercialisation that is invaluable to the FTL mission.

Connor Wilson

Connor Wilson

Founder

A Flight Test Engineer with over a decade of experience in the Royal Australian Air Force. Connor brings technical expertise and operational insight to commercialising hazard technology, bridging the gap between innovation and practical application in high-risk environments.

Our Projects

Fire Air Traffic Management Trials

These flight test trails brought crewed and uncrewed aircraft overhead an active bushfire to tackle the challenge of a blended airspace. This project has involved developing technology aids with start-ups as well as generating operating procedures for fire agency use. Resulting in a world first with a fixed wing BVLOS drone operating within 300ft of operationally active helicopters. The procedures developed during these trials have since been utilised within QFD on active fire grounds.

Read the FATM Concept of Operations here.
Fire Air Traffic Management Trials

Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems in Bushfire Management: A National Roadmap

Working with the ANU Bushfire Research Centre of Excellence, we developed a national strategy for integrating drone technology into Australia's bushfire management. This project brought together technology providers and fire agencies across Australia to create a unified vision for drone use in bushfire management. The roadmap outlines how RPAS can enhance early detection and situational awareness while addressing key technical and operational barriers. The resulting framework has strengthened cross-sector collaboration and accelerated the adoption of drone technologies in disaster resilience.

Read more about the project here.See the report here
RPAS in Bushfire Management Roadmap

The Firetech Labs Story

Firetech Labs was born from firsthand experience of the devastation bushfires can cause — to people, to places, and to entire communities. Originally established as Firetech Connect under Noosa Council, the program grew over five years into a trusted platform for testing and accelerating hazard technologies.

Now operating as an independent business, Firetech Labs carries forward that mission with renewed purpose. We're deeply committed to supporting community resilience by equipping frontline responders and local communities with cutting-edge, proven technology that helps them prepare for, respond to, and recover from disasters.

Our Partners

QFD Logo

QFD

Queensland Fire and Emergency Services

ANU Logo

ANU

Australian National University

NSC Logo

NSC

Noosa Shire Council

FP Innovations Logo

FP Innovations

Forest Products Research & Development

Suncorp Logo

Suncorp

Insurance and Financial Services

Thales Logo

Thales

Defense and Security Technology

The Lab

Our state-of-the-art facility serves as the heart of innovation in fire safety technology. Here, we conduct rigorous testing, develop new solutions, and collaborate with industry leaders to push the boundaries of what's possible in fire safety.

Research & Development

Cutting-edge research facilities for developing and testing new fire safety technologies.

Testing Facilities

Comprehensive testing environments for validating fire safety solutions under real-world conditions.

Contact Us

Have a question or want to learn more about our work? Get in touch with us.