The Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) and Singapore’s Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) launched the U.S.-Singapore Joint Challenge to identify novel unmanned aerial systems (UAS) communications technologies and counter-UAS technologies.
The joint challenge consists of two opportunities to identify and scale dual-use technologies for operational demands: First, the challenge seeks to help ships operating close to shore continuously detect, track, identify, and disrupt unauthorized drones. Second, it seeks to provide resilient communications with small commercial drones during humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR) missions.
The DIU U.S.-Singapore Joint Challenge is the first collaboration to come out of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for Defense Innovation Cooperation between the Singapore MINDEF and the Department of Defense (DoD). The agreement between the two organizations was signed in May by Tan Peng Yam, Chief Defence Scientist for MINDEF, and Doug Beck, Director of DIU and Senior Advisor to the Secretary of Defense. The agreement sets forth a path for greater binational collaboration to adopt and scale commercial technologies that solve operational challenges faced by both militaries.
“We are proud to contribute to the strategically important effort to deepen bilateral cooperation with Singapore in support of a free and open Indo-Pacific, and look forward to working with our Singaporean partners to deliver concrete solutions that address the pressing security challenge of unauthorized drones, as well as critical support for humanitarian assistance and disaster relief,” said DIU Director Doug Beck. “We are eager to see what the international innovation base – starting with the great technology in Singapore and the US – delivers in support of these important missions.”
The DIU-MINDEF MOU focuses on both countries’ commitment to a safe, free, and open Indo-Pacific region. The challenge takes that commitment a step further and demonstrates the desire for both a counter-drone capability with the potential to deter efforts to use drones for acts of aggression and for a communications capability that could maintain pervasive data communications between small commercial drones and their operators. By the end of the 12-week challenge, the participants will have developed and demonstrated concepts for multiple shipboard counter-drone solutions with the potential to fill the needs of both the U.S. and Singaporean Navies.
DIU U.S.-Singapore Joint Innovation Challenge Details
- The challenge is open through Oct. 30, 2024.
- U.S. owned and operated companies or companies from NATO, Five Eyes Alliance, United States–Mexico–Canada Agreement (USMCA), and Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) countries at early-mid stage or companies that are considered non-traditional (as defined in the 2023 DoD Other Transactions Guide) are eligible.
- Proposed solutions must be able to notify operators upon the detection of a drone, safely disrupt unauthorized drones, operate in a tropical maritime environment, and demonstrate an ability to be integrated on a ship. Ideal solutions will also have a detection and engagement range of greater than one kilometer, a response time of less than one minute, and require minimal man-effort to operate.
- Companies may register for the challenge here.
- Winners will be awarded part of the $300,000 prize pool.
- An information session will be held Oct. 9, 2024.
Source: Defense Innovation Unit