Plans for a drone flight testing facility at Cloncurry have taken a step forward, with the Cloncurry Shire Council approving the development application for the project.

The Cloncurry Airport will host the facility and The Boeing Company is lined up to conduct the first trials.

The State Government has pledged $14.5 million towards the project as part of an economic diversification strategy for the North West.

Cloncurry Mayor Greg Campbell described the development application approval as a milestone for the project.

It will include a new hangar and some temporary office accommodation.

“This first stage is only the trial. Once proved successful they will move to build a permanent site,” he said.

Boeing director of Phantom Works International Shane Arnott said last year the company was looking forward to using the flight facility in 2020 to safely and securely test the latest advances in unmanned systems technology.

“The creation of what will be one of the world’s largest commercial unmanned flight test facilities is critical to establishing Australia as a global leader in autonomous technology,” Dr Arnott said.

The facility will include surveillance radar and communications equipment and is expected to be used to test small-to-medium sized drones weighing 30-150 kg.