An autonomous land-based vehicle designed and built in Australia could end the practice of stop-slow bat workers standing on the road without a physical barrier between them and oncoming traffic.
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The drones, which were developed by Slasher Teck, can be remotely controlled from up to 50 metres away, have an autonomous mode and follow-me mode, enabling truck drivers to operate the vehicle from afar.
The roadside traffic management drone is solar powered, and can store tools and witches hats.
The Slasher Teck vehicle would replace the stop-slow bat worker.
Inventor of the technology and Slasher Teck corporate consultant Norm Boyle said the traffic management technology was developed with equity from Tasmanian and mainly Launceston shareholders.
The company's innovation started with developing a solution for slashers that weren't cutting grass around posts.
"That's when we ended up in Launceston and acquired Tasmanian investors," Mr Boyle said.
"We knew that managing the traffic for slashers was pretty problematic, so what we developed is this electric vehicle traffic management drone."
In May Coroner Simon Cooper found the death of roadworker Terrence Close could have been avoided if there'd been compliance with the Australian Standard as a Code of Practice under the Work Health and Safety Act 2012.
Mr Close was working as a traffic controller on Vermont Road at Mowbray in February 2013 when he was hit by a car.
He died at the Launceston General Hospital as a result of his injuries.
Building and Construction Minister Sarah Courtney said after careful consideration of the recommendation, the state government was supportive of the proposal to adopt the standard.
"Under the national model Work Health and Safety laws, broad consultation is required before new Codes of Practice may be approved," she said.
Ms Courtney wrote to the federal jobs and industrial relations minister to have the discussion included on the next national Work Health and Safety ministers' meeting agenda.
Mr Cooper also recommended under no circumstances should any road worker be positioned on the road without a physical barrier between her or him and the first approaching vehicle.
Mr Boyle said he'd been to meetings across the country to show councillors, engineers, mayors and people in positions of power about Slasher Teck's revolutionary technology.
"Slasherteck comes up with this stuff but unless it is implemented more people will get killed," he said.
