When Jackie Dujmovic returned to Australia after spending her early career years working at sea in the international global maritime industry, she saw an opportunity to enter the emerging drone technology industry. She became a licensed drone pilot (RPL) and gained her commercial operator’s certificate (ReOC), immersing herself in the industry with a strong desire to push the boundaries to realise the enormous potential she knew drones could offer.

She founded Hover UAV in 2015, using drones to deliver high-quality aerial imagery, research, video and data. Her early projects flying drones reflected her maritime experience and included shark surveillance trials and whale research. The latter used drones to identify whale DNA non-intrusively by collecting whale “snot” from whale blows. During this time, she drove the introduction of drones for shark mitigation for beach safety for the NSW Department of Primary Industry and Surf Life Saving and was responsible for inventing and commercialising life-saving procedures/devices using drones including specific emergency training for drones and a drone shark alarm.

Her drone flying also included running daily flight operations for companies such as Google, whose drone delivery arm, ‘Wing’, first trialled drone deliveries in the Australia’s capital territory (ACT) and Queensland.

These experiences were the impetus for wanting to push the boundaries to permit drone operations beyond-visual-line-of-sight (BVLOS). As a commercial UAS pilot and accomplished chief remote pilot, her expertise lies in establishing robust communication and procedural frameworks with regulators across local, national, and international spheres. Her ultimate mission is the seamless integration of drone systems into everyday life, with a strong commitment to safety and compliance, while navigating intricate regulatory operational approvals.

As part of this work, Jackie and the Hover UAV team have developed a BVLOS Hub, which operators can access to learn about the required process to obtain BVLOS approvals. Such approvals are a critical part of many innovative projects, whether they be medical (e.g. delivery of medicines or defibrillators), powerline inspections, or coastal marine observations. She helps operators obtain their regulatory approvals, assisting drone operators, many of whom are from a non-aviation background, and with her practical flying background, has a deep understanding of the specific operational risk assessment (SORA) process many regulators require for approvals.

Recognising that the seamless integration of drones into everyday means sharing an already congested airspace, she is active on UTM (uncrewed traffic management) working groups, and also serves the industry more broadly as a board member of the Australian Association of Uncrewed Systems (AAUS), the board secretary for Safeskies Australia, a board member of the Vertical Flight Society, and on the board of advisors for the humanitarian technology/robotics organisation, We Robotics. 

Jackie’s vision is to be a solution provider and the critical link between emerging UAS technologies, individuals, schools, enterprises and governments Specifically, her work in fostering industry professionalism in risk assessment regarding beyond-visual-line-of-sight (BVLOS) operations is world-leading. This was recognised in 2023 when she was inducted along with 10 outstanding women into the Women in Emerging Aviation Hall of Fame at the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum in Washington D.C.

For her work that is wide-ranging and pivotal to the ongoing development of the uncrewed aviation industry in Australia and globally, Jackie Dujmovic is awarded the Grand Master’s Australian Medal.

1981/82  CSIRO Interscan Team - H C Minnett Esq, Dr D N Cooper, Dr J P Wild

1983  not awarded

1983/84  Brian Hamilton Heeps Esq

1985  not awarded

1985/86  Dr Henry Millicer

1986/87  Ingo Renner Esq

1987/88  Wg Cdr Bernard I Fernandes

1989 - 1990  not awarded

1990/91  Don M Kendell Esq

1991/92  Laurence C Gruzman Esq

1993  not awarded

1993/94 Sqn Ldr Kevin W Rushworth

1994/95  Captain Ernest A Girault

1995/96  Gary Lawson-Smith Esq

1996/97  Australian Mission Aviation Fellowship

1997/98  The Historical Aircraft Restoration Society Inc.

1999  not awarded

1999/2000  John G Roncz & Graham Swannell

2000/01  Captain Trevor Jensen

2001/02  Bob Peake

2002/03  Royal Flying Doctor Service of Australia

2004 - 2006  not awarded

2006/07  C-17 Transition Team & 36 Squadron Royal Australian Air Force

2007/08  Number 92 Wing, Royal Australian Air Force

2008/09  The School of Air Warfare, Royal Australian Air Force

2009/10  816 Sqn Royal Australian Navy

2010/11  Air Mobility Control Centre RAAF

2012  not awarded

2012/13  Emergency Management Queensland - Helicopter Rescue

2013/14  Royal Australian Air Force Ageing Aircraft Systems Audit Team

2014/15  Flight Training Adelaide

2016  Temora Aviation Museum

2017  Royal Australian Air Force Aerobatic Team - The Roulettes

2018  James Eric Thurstan

2019  RAAF Aircraft Research and Development Unit

2020  Captain Susan Mchaffie

2021  Flt Lt Laura Ashleigh Haws RAAF

2022  Centenary Flypast Team RAAF

2023  Qantas Group Pilot Academy

2024  Luke Gumley