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RocketDNA has taken a step toward transforming its drone services into a scalable technology platform, unveiling its proprietary Skylink operating system and deploying it with a Tier-1 mining customer.

The ASX-listed drone data specialist says Skylink acts as a centralised operating system for managing autonomous drone missions across enterprise sites. The platform has entered an initial testing phase with an existing global mining client, providing a live environment to refine the software before broader commercial rollout.

The move signals RocketDNA’s push beyond simply supplying drone services toward building a software ecosystem that can orchestrate fleets of autonomous drones across large industrial operations.

According to managing director and CEO Christopher Clark, the system represents a major evolution in how mining companies and other industrial customers can deploy aerial data services.

“We’ve effectively built an operating system that unlocks the power of on-demand drone data, combined with operational transparency and centralised management, giving our customers the confidence to deploy our autonomous systems at scale,” Clark said.

Turning drones into a managed digital workflow

At its core, Skylink functions as a mission management platform that allows enterprise users to request and coordinate drone operations from anywhere.

Customers can draw mission areas directly within the system, set priority levels and receive real-time status updates as flights are executed. The platform also allows missions to be scheduled in advance or triggered automatically at regular intervals, enabling consistent data collection across large industrial sites.

This capability is particularly relevant for mining operations, where aerial inspections, surveying and monitoring tasks are routine but traditionally labour intensive.

By digitising the workflow, RocketDNA aims to shift drone usage from occasional manual deployments toward continuous automated data collection.

The system also integrates with RocketDNA’s existing SiteTube product, creating a full pipeline from mission request through to data delivery and visualisation.

For customers, the attraction is the ability to request and receive drone-derived data on demand without managing the underlying hardware or flight operations.

Enabling automation and third-party integration

A key feature of Skylink is its potential to become the central command layer for increasingly automated drone fleets.

The platform is designed to support machine-to-machine triggering of missions, meaning software systems could automatically request drone flights when specific conditions occur. This could include asset monitoring alerts, safety inspections or operational checks triggered by other industrial systems.

The architecture also allows third-party original equipment manufacturers and software providers to integrate their applications with Skylink, enabling custom analytics or geospatial tools to automatically dispatch drone missions.

Clark said this capability could unlock new productivity and safety benefits for large industrial users.

“It creates an opportunity for third-party OEMs and other software providers to integrate and trigger autonomous drone missions from anywhere in the world, unlocking custom AI and geospatial applications that provide cost savings, improved productivity and increased safety.”

For RocketDNA, this approach opens the possibility of evolving from a services business toward a software-enabled ecosystem.

Early deployment with Tier-1 mining customer

The first live deployment is taking place with an existing Tier-1 mining customer, providing a real-world environment to test the system while handling actual operational workloads.

RocketDNA says the rollout should improve deployment speed, operational efficiency and consistency across multi-site drone operations.

Engagement with large mining clients is expected to help refine the platform before a broader commercial rollout. Feedback from early users will inform future product iterations and feature upgrades.

The company plans to evolve Skylink through staged releases, adding deeper automation capabilities, improved analytics tools and enhanced interoperability with other systems.

Over time, the platform is expected to support higher levels of automation, including “one-to-many” operations where a single operator can manage multiple drone systems simultaneously across different sites.

Strategic implications for RocketDNA

RocketDNA already provides drone-based surveying, mapping, surveillance and inspection services to enterprise customers in mining, agriculture and engineering sectors across Australia and Africa. Its client roster includes major miners such as Rio Tinto, BHP and South32.

Historically, much of the company’s revenue has been tied to service contracts for drone operations.

The development of Skylink hints at a longer-term strategy to add a higher-margin software layer on top of those services.

If successful, the platform could enable RocketDNA to manage larger fleets of autonomous drones while reducing operational complexity. It may also create opportunities for licensing software capabilities or integrating with external technology partners.

For investors, the key question will be how quickly Skylink transitions from pilot deployments to broader commercial adoption.

The company has indicated that it will provide updates as the deployment progresses, particularly if material commercial developments emerge.

For now, the launch represents a technology milestone rather than a revenue event. But in the race to automate industrial data collection, RocketDNA appears determined to build the operating system that sits at the centre of the drone ecosystem.

Small-cap health technology player InteliCare Holdings (ASX: ICR) has secured a five-year agreement with Victorian aged care provider mecwacare worth about $8.8 million, marking the largest contract in the company’s history and a significant commercial validation of its AI-driven care platform.

The deal will see InteliCare deploy its integrated analytics, sensors and nurse call technology across 22 residential aged care facilities operated by mecwacare, supporting around 1,600 residents across Victoria. The rollout is scheduled to occur progressively over the life of the contract under a Master Subscription Agreement.

For a company still in the early stages of scaling its technology platform, the contract represents a step-change in commercial traction. The agreement also signals growing industry appetite for technology-enabled care models as aged care operators grapple with rising costs, regulatory scrutiny and workforce shortages.

Executive director Tim Chapman described the contract as a defining moment for the company.

“Securing a five-year agreement with mecwacare validates the scalability of our platform and confirms that data-driven, real-time intelligence is becoming foundational to the future of aged care,” Chapman said.

From pilot project to portfolio rollout

The partnership stems from a pilot deployment at mecwacare’s Trescowthick Centre, which houses about 60 residents. The trial ran during the second half of 2025 and evaluated the InteliCare platform across a range of clinical and operational metrics.

The results appear to have impressed.

The system met or exceeded expectations across 11 defined performance criteria, covering reliability, resident outcomes and operational efficiency. Among the key outcomes were accurate fall detection, reduced overnight welfare checks and improved reporting processes.

During the evaluation period, InteliCare recorded 100 per cent fall detection accuracy, with no missed or false events when compared with independent records. The platform’s monitoring capabilities also allowed staff to reduce routine overnight checks for many residents, improving sleep quality while freeing carers to focus on higher acuity needs.

Integration was another important factor. The platform was successfully linked with the facility’s clinical management and nurse call systems, consolidating alerts and operational data into a single dashboard.

The pilot effectively demonstrated how a unified digital platform could replace fragmented legacy systems, something increasingly attractive for aged care operators seeking efficiency gains.

A strategic partnership beyond software

Beyond the immediate commercial contract, the agreement also establishes a strategic collaboration framework between the two organisations.

Both parties intend to work together on further innovation initiatives, including expanded data analytics, new care models and potential at-home care applications.

For mecwacare, the technology investment forms part of a broader digital transformation program designed to modernise care delivery.

CEO Anne McCormack said the sector faces structural challenges including rising cost pressures, workforce shortages and increasingly complex resident needs.

“The evaluation demonstrated that InteliCare’s platform enhances clinical visibility, improves operational efficiency and most importantly supported better resident care and social outcomes,” she said.

Technology-enabled monitoring systems are increasingly viewed as critical infrastructure in residential aged care, particularly as providers seek to improve compliance reporting, staff productivity and safety outcomes.

Recurring revenue model adds visibility

The contract structure provides a mix of revenue streams for InteliCare.

Under the agreement, the company will supply hardware, implementation services and ongoing software subscriptions. Deployment payments are tied to installation milestones, while recurring SaaS fees provide longer-term revenue visibility once facilities are operational.

The staged rollout across FY26 to FY28 also spreads implementation risk while allowing facilities to transition systems according to operational planning.

For investors, the recurring component of the contract may be particularly attractive. SaaS-style revenue streams tend to carry higher margins and more predictable cash flow once installed.

Positioning in a growing digital care market

The broader opportunity lies in the accelerating digitalisation of aged care.

Australia’s ageing population, combined with regulatory reforms and labour shortages, is forcing providers to rethink how care is delivered. Technologies that provide predictive monitoring, automation and workflow optimisation are increasingly viewed as essential rather than optional.

InteliCare’s platform sits squarely in this emerging segment. The system uses IoT sensors and artificial intelligence to monitor resident activity, generate alerts and provide analytics that help staff anticipate risks such as falls or health deterioration.

Importantly, the platform’s modular architecture allows it to integrate multiple functions - including nurse call, monitoring and reporting - into a single system.

That consolidation capability could become a competitive advantage as facilities look to replace patchwork technology stacks with unified digital platforms.

A pivotal contract for a small-cap contender

For InteliCare, the mecwacare agreement represents more than just a revenue boost. It effectively provides a large-scale commercial reference site, something critical for emerging technology vendors targeting institutional healthcare clients.

A successful rollout across the full 22-facility portfolio would provide strong validation for the company’s technology in real-world care environments.

Chapman hinted that further partnerships could follow as the company builds momentum in the sector.

Whether the mecwacare deal proves to be a one-off win or the start of a broader commercial ramp remains to be seen. But for now, the contract gives InteliCare something small-cap health tech companies often struggle to secure - a sizeable customer willing to deploy the technology across an entire portfolio.

Cervical cancer screening device maker TruScreen Group (ASX/: TRU) has gained fresh clinical backing for its technology, with a newly published peer-reviewed study reporting superior diagnostic performance when its device is paired with high-risk HPV testing.

The independent study, conducted at Panzhihua Central Hospital in China and published in the Journal of Sichuan University, compared TruScreen combined with high-risk human papillomavirus testing (hr-HPV) against the conventional Thinprep cytology test (TCT) paired with HPV testing. The results suggest the TruScreen approach may offer a more accurate alternative to cytology-based screening pathways.

While modest in scale, involving 297 women aged between 21 and 57, the trial provides further clinical validation for the company’s opto-electronic screening technology and its potential role in global cervical cancer detection programs.

Head-to-head comparison with conventional cytology

The trial assessed the effectiveness of two screening combinations in detecting cervical lesions - low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (LSIL+) and high-grade lesions (HSIL+), both indicators of potential cervical cancer progression.

Histopathology results from the cohort identified 128 LSIL+ cases and 67 HSIL+ cases, representing 43.1% and 22.6% of the study population respectively.

Against this benchmark, the TruScreen plus hr-HPV combination demonstrated stronger diagnostic metrics than the conventional cytology-based method. Specifically, the study found that:

• TruScreen + hr-HPV delivered a higher area under the ROC curve (AUC), indicating improved overall diagnostic accuracy.

• The combination produced high sensitivity for detecting HSIL+ lesions.

• Specificity and negative predictive value were also superior to the TCT + hr-HPV approach.

In plain English, the technology was more accurate at identifying both true positives and true negatives.

The study authors concluded that the TruScreen co-testing approach “demonstrates superior performance in cervical cancer screening compared with TCT combined with hr-HPV test and may serve as an alternative to conventional cytology-based methods in China.”

A growing clinical evidence base

For investors, the study adds another brick to the clinical wall supporting TruScreen’s technology.

The company says its evidence base now comprises more than 30 clinical trials and large-scale studies covering over 40,000 women globally.

The latest results align with the much larger COGA study involving nearly 15,000 women, published in early 2026 in BMC Cancer. That study also concluded that TruScreen outperformed conventional liquid-based cytology and hr-HPV testing when used as a primary screening tool.

Clinical validation is particularly important for medical device companies seeking broader regulatory adoption and integration into national screening programs. In many jurisdictions, health authorities require extensive real-world evidence before recommending new diagnostic technologies.

Why TruScreen’s technology matters

Unlike traditional Pap smears or cytology-based tests, TruScreen’s device uses opto-electronic sensors to analyse cervical tissue in real time.

The handheld device applies low-level electrical and optical stimuli to the cervix and uses AI-enabled algorithms to detect abnormalities instantly. This means results are available at the point of care without requiring tissue samples to be sent to pathology laboratories.

That distinction is significant for countries with limited healthcare infrastructure, where access to cytology labs or trained pathologists can be scarce.

According to executive chairman Tony Ho, the technology is particularly suited to screening initiatives in emerging markets.

“These results continue to support TruScreen’s suitability for integration into cervical cancer screening initiatives globally, particularly in markets where access to pathology infrastructure is limited,” he said.

Strategic tie-up with HPV testing partner

The study also provides additional validation for TruScreen’s partnership with Dalton BioSciences, a Chinese manufacturer of HPV diagnostic kits.

Dalton’s HPV DNA testing products are designed to identify high-risk strains of the virus associated with cervical cancer and can be combined with TruScreen’s device in a co-testing strategy. The arrangement allows TruScreen to distribute HPV in-vitro diagnostic products through its global network.

From a commercial perspective, combining device-based screening with HPV testing potentially expands the company’s addressable market and creates additional revenue streams through consumables and testing kits.

Global footprint steadily expanding

TruScreen markets its flagship device, the TruScreen Ultra, as a primary cervical cancer screening tool that eliminates the need for tissue sampling and laboratory processing.

The device holds regulatory approvals across multiple jurisdictions including Australia, the United Kingdom, China, Saudi Arabia, Mexico and Russia, with ministry-level approvals in countries such as Vietnam and Israel.

Distribution now spans 29 countries, with a manufacturing facility in China established in 2021 to support the local market.

Operational metrics also point to growing utilisation. In the 2024 financial year alone, more than 200,000 examinations were conducted using TruScreen devices worldwide, based on sales of single-use sensors.

The investor lens

For ASX investors, the announcement underscores a familiar theme in medtech - clinical validation precedes commercial adoption.

While a 297-patient study is not transformative on its own, the steady accumulation of peer-reviewed data strengthens the case for broader use of the technology in national screening programs and hospital networks.

If adoption continues to build across emerging healthcare markets where laboratory infrastructure is limited, TruScreen’s real-time screening model could find a receptive audience.

In the meantime, each additional study helps bolster the company’s central claim: that AI-enabled, point-of-care cervical screening may eventually challenge the decades-old cytology status quo.

Audeara’s push to position itself at the heart of the emerging Auracast audio ecosystem has taken another step forward, with the company securing fresh purchase orders from Taiwanese partner Clinico Inc.

The Brisbane-based hearing technology group has received initial orders worth roughly $164,000 tied to the launch of three new white-label commercial programs under the Clinico brand. The initiatives include two Auracast-enabled devices built around Audeara’s BT-03 Audio Broadcaster platform, alongside Clinico-branded accessories and a dedicated programming interface.

While the dollar value of the opening orders is modest, the strategic significance lies in the expansion of a partnership that already delivered the Clinico Sound Earbuds CS1 launch in Taiwan. The new programs broaden the commercial footprint of Audeara’s technology platform and provide another pathway for scaling its AUA Technology division internationally.

Management frames the development as evidence that the company’s integration model - embedding Auracast broadcasting technology within partner product ecosystems - is beginning to gain traction.

The BT-03 broadcaster enters the stage

Central to the expansion is the recently launched BT-03 Audio Broadcaster, a device designed to deliver shared audio streams using the Bluetooth LE Audio Auracast standard.

Auracast allows a single transmitter to broadcast audio that multiple compatible devices can receive simultaneously, without the need for traditional pairing. In practical terms, that means a venue could stream audio from a television, lecture or announcement directly to dozens or even hundreds of personal listening devices.

Audeara launched the BT-03 into the Australian market at a recommended retail price of $399, marking the company’s first dedicated infrastructure product aimed at the broader Auracast ecosystem.

The device has been engineered to integrate into existing audio-visual systems while supporting deployment across multi-room environments such as lecture halls, hospitals or hospitality venues. Early channel validation has reportedly been achieved via AV installers and consumer audio retailers in Australia, suggesting initial commercial interest beyond the company’s traditional hearing health base.

For investors, the broader significance lies in how Auracast adoption typically requires two elements - broadcast infrastructure and compatible personal listening devices. Audeara is positioning itself to supply both layers.

From hearing tech to ecosystem player

Historically, Audeara has been known for personalised audio solutions designed to assist people with hearing challenges. The Auracast strategy represents a shift toward becoming a platform provider within a new wireless audio standard.

The company’s product suite now spans infrastructure devices such as the BT-03 broadcaster, alongside listening hardware including Audeara Buds and Bluetooth LE Audio transceivers. Together, these products form the foundation of a broader listening ecosystem capable of supporting large-scale shared audio environments.

Clinico’s white-label devices effectively embed Audeara’s broadcasting infrastructure within a partner’s own product range, giving the Australian firm exposure to new markets without needing to build its own distribution network in each region.

Target deployment environments extend well beyond consumer headphones. Potential applications include universities and training facilities, hospitals and aged-care settings, as well as hospitality venues and entertainment spaces where shared audio is required but personal listening is preferred.

Managing director and chief executive Dr James Fielding said the latest orders underline the strength of the relationship with Clinico and the commercial opportunity emerging around Auracast-enabled infrastructure.

“The receipt of purchase orders from Clinico reflects the continued strength of our partnership and the shared opportunity we identified as part of Clinico’s broader strategic investment,” he said.

Fielding added that Auracast transmitters are already deployed in universities globally and that white-label integration represents the next step in scaling adoption into consumer markets.

International expansion in sight

Beyond the Clinico partnership, Audeara is also working to extend the reach of the BT-03 broadcaster into major global markets. Certification processes are underway across the United States, Japan, Taiwan, Canada and the European Union, which could significantly expand the addressable market if approvals are secured.

Industry interest in Auracast appears to be building as well. Fielding noted that discussions with global product leaders at the recent Integrated Systems Europe conference in Barcelona reinforced the view that demand for Auracast-compatible solutions is increasing.

That trend could be crucial. Much like early Bluetooth or Wi-Fi adoption cycles, the value of Auracast hinges on network effects - the more infrastructure deployed, the more valuable compatible devices become, and vice versa.

Audeara’s strategy is to sit squarely in the middle of that ecosystem.

A platform approach to growth

The company’s AUA Technology division is built around three pillars - embedding its broadcast and audio processing capabilities into partner product lines, expanding white-label programs, and leveraging infrastructure deployments to encourage wider Auracast adoption.

If successful, the model could diversify revenue streams beyond the company’s traditional consumer products and position Audeara as a technology partner rather than simply a hardware vendor.

For now, the initial Clinico orders are small in financial terms. But they serve as an early signal that Audeara’s ecosystem approach is starting to translate into commercial partnerships.

In the fast-evolving world of wireless audio standards, the real prize may lie not just in selling devices - but in becoming the plumbing behind them.

Adisyn has added an intriguing new string to its graphene bow, unveiling early-stage test work that suggests its materials expertise could extend beyond semiconductors and into the world of radar signature management.

The market has primarily valued the company for its ambition to commercialise a low-temperature atomic layer deposition process to grow graphene directly onto semiconductor wafers. Now, laboratory work conducted with Tel Aviv University indicates the same core materials capability may also help drones become far less visible to radar systems.

For a small-cap with big aspirations, the optionality is notable - even if the semiconductor program remains centre stage.

20dB and counting - what the test results mean

The headline number is a radar reflection reduction of up to 20dB in controlled lab testing, achieved using graphene-enhanced composite materials. In plain English, that is a substantial attenuation of reflected radar energy compared with baseline materials.

The company is now targeting optimisation work that could push the reduction towards 30dB. That is not just a marginal gain. A 30dB reduction implies the radar cross-section - effectively how large an object appears to radar - could shrink by a factor of 1,000.

To illustrate the point, a drone that might previously have presented as a one square metre object to a radar system could, with that level of suppression, appear closer to 10 square centimetres - roughly insect-sized in radar terms.

Such performance metrics are catnip to defence technologists. Radar signature management is an increasingly critical design factor in UAV, aerospace and defence systems, particularly as unmanned platforms become smaller, lighter and more widely deployed.

The practical implications are straightforward. A smaller radar signature means later detection, shorter interception windows and greater survivability in contested environments. Even incremental gains in this domain can materially change mission profiles.

Academic muscle behind the science

The program is being led by Professor Pavel Ginzburg, a full professor of electrical engineering at Tel Aviv University with a research focus spanning radar physics, electromagnetics and scattering control.

For investors wary of blue-sky materials claims, the involvement of a recognised radar physicist lends scientific credibility to the proof-of-concept phase. That does not de-risk commercialisation, but it does suggest the work is grounded in serious academic expertise rather than marketing exuberance.

Importantly, the radar initiative sits within an existing collaboration framework under which Adisyn holds a 12-month option to secure exclusive, perpetual rights to the technology, subject to agreed terms.

That option structure gives the company time to further validate scalability, consistency and commercial viability before making a binding commitment.

Semiconductor ambitions remain the main game

Investors should not misread the pivot. Management has been explicit that the company’s primary focus remains the development and commercialisation of its low-temperature ALD graphene deposition technology for semiconductor interconnect applications.

That core program aims to address the looming performance constraints of copper interconnects in advanced chips. If successful, direct graphene growth at low temperatures could enable faster, stronger and more energy-efficient processing.

Progress on that front is said to be on schedule, with further updates flagged in coming weeks.

The radar work is positioned as a parallel, secondary stream - effectively an opportunistic extension of the company’s graphene capability into adjacent high-value markets.

Optionality versus execution risk

From a market perspective, the stealth composite angle introduces a fresh narrative lever. Defence and aerospace applications tend to attract premium valuations, particularly where enabling materials technology is concerned.

However, this remains early-stage technical validation. Laboratory results under controlled conditions are a long way from field-deployable, certifiable materials integrated into complex platforms. Questions of manufacturing scalability, durability, regulatory clearance and end-user adoption all lie ahead.

Moreover, the semiconductor opportunity alone is already ambitious. Pursuing dual pathways - semiconductors and advanced defence composites - will test management bandwidth and capital allocation discipline.

Still, for a company built around graphene know-how, demonstrating that the same materials science can address multiple multibillion-dollar markets is strategically astute.

In small-cap land, optionality is valuable - provided it does not morph into distraction. Adisyn’s challenge will be to advance its semiconductor interconnect roadmap while methodically progressing radar signature optimisation, letting the data rather than the hype do the heavy lifting.

For now, investors have been handed an additional proof point that the company’s graphene platform may have broader relevance than initially assumed. Whether that translates into commercial traction will depend on what the next round of test results reveals.