DIU and MINDEF are looking for innovators with technologies for drone communication, detection, tracking, identification and jamming.

Mountain View, California, and Singapore City, Singapore (September 19, 2024) – The Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) and the Singapore Ministry of Defense (MINDEF) have launched the U.S.-Singapore Joint Challenge to identify novel unmanned aerial systems (UAS) communications technologies and unmanned aerial vehicle defense technologies.

The joint challenge consists of two ways to identify and scale dual-use technologies for operational needs: First, the challenge aims to help vessels operating near shore to continuously detect, track, identify and jam unauthorized drones. Second, the challenge aims to ensure reliable communication with small commercial drones during humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR) operations.

The DIU US-Singapore Joint Challenge is the first collaboration to emerge from a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for defense innovation cooperation between Singapore’s MINDEF and the Department of Defense (DoD). Agreement signed between the two organizations in May by Tan Peng Yam, MINDEF’s chief defence scientist, and Doug Beck, DIU director and senior adviser to the Minister of Defence. The agreement sets a path for greater binational cooperation to adopt and scale commercial technologies that solve operational challenges for both forces.

“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 partners in Singapore to find concrete solutions that address the pressing security challenge posed by unauthorized drones, as well as providing critical support for humanitarian assistance and disaster relief,” said DIU Director Doug Beck. “We are excited to see what the international innovation base – starting with the great technology in Singapore and the United States – is doing to support these important missions.”

The DIU-MINDEF MOU focuses on both countries’ commitment to a secure, free and open Indo-Pacific region. The Challenge goes a step further, demonstrating a desire for a counter-drone capability that can deter attempts to use drones for aggression and a communications capability that could maintain ubiquitous data communications between small commercial drones and their operators. At the end of the 12-week Challenge, participants will have developed and demonstrated concepts for multiple shipboard counter-drone solutions that have the potential to meet the needs of both the U.S. Navy and Singapore Navy.

Details of the joint DIU USA and Singapore innovation challenge

• The challenge runs until October 30, 2024.

• US companies or companies from NATO, Five Eyes Alliance, United States–Mexico–Canada Agreement (USMCA) and Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) countries in the early to mid-stage or companies that are considered non-traditional (as defined in the Department of Defense Other Transactions Guide 2023) are eligible.

• The proposed solutions must be able to notify operators when a drone is detected, safely jam unauthorized drones, operate in a tropical maritime environment, and demonstrate the ability to be integrated into a vessel. Ideal solutions will also have a detection and deployment range of more than one kilometer, a response time of less than one minute, and require minimal personnel.

• Companies can register for the challenge here: https://nsin.mil/events/2024-11-27-innomaritime-uasdefensesolutions-challenge/

• The winners will be paid a portion of the $300,000 prize pool.

• An information event will take place on October 9, 2024.