NSW Net Zero Manufacturing Initiative awards MicroTau $2.5M grant for drag-reducing 'shark skin' manufacturing demonstration plant
Sydney, Australia - July 15, 2025
MicroTau, an end-to-end solution provider for our drag-reducing Riblet Modification Package for aviation, has been awarded funding under the NSW Government’s Net Zero Manufacturing Initiative.
This $2.5 million grant will support the establishment of a manufacturing demonstration plant dedicated to our innovative drag-reducing 'shark skin' product for commercial aviation. This product reduces friction drag experienced by aircraft and is capable of net efficiency improvements of up to 4%, with commensurate reductions in CO2 emissions and enhancements to aircraft capability.
MicroTau CEO Henry Bilinsky with MicroTau’s in-house product testing fuselage
📷: Guy Templeton
Enabled by a 100% NSW-based consortium, the project will:
Establish a new manufacturing facility in NSW
Demonstrate technical feasibility and scalability of an in-house scale manufacturing capability
Enable delivery of the product to customers both domestically and internationally
MicroTau’s mission is to improve the efficiency of the global aviation fleet. US$270 billion is spent on fuel globally, emitting 1 billion tonnes of CO2 - equivalent to the total emissions of the UK and Germany combined. Applied to the global fleet, this product can save the aviation industry US$8 billion worth of fuel and prevent 38 million tonnes of CO2 emissions annually. The product is installed to 80% of the aircraft’s exterior surface, including the wings, fuselage, tail, and engine nacelles. The product integrates with existing fleets, requires no structural changes, is complementary to other efficiency initiatives, and installation requires zero additional downtime.
This NSW Government funding marks a significant milestone in our journey to improve the efficiency of the global aviation fleet through drag-reducing 'shark skin' technology.
For further enquiries, please contact:
Duncan Bell
Senior Marketing & Communications Manager
