The Department of Defence is inviting industry to submit innovative proposals to reduce the visual and acoustic signatures of unmanned aerial systems (UAS).
“Defence is looking for outcomes to reduce both the visual and acoustic detection of UAS from ground-based observation without disrupting the operation of the aircraft,” Minister for Defence Industry Christopher Pyne said in a statement.
The proposals will be supported through the government’s Small Business Innovation Research for Defence (SBIRD) initiative of the Next Generation Technologies Fund, with funded proposals eligible for up to $100,000 for completion within nine months.
If successful, small to medium enterprises will be eligible to apply for funding to further support research and concept maturation within 24 months, with maximum funding of $750,000.
“Australian SMEs are great innovators and we want them to put forward innovative concepts to protect our UAS from being readily seen or heard in different environmental conditions,” Minister Pyne said.
Further information about the SBIRD program and how to submit proposals for this project is available from the Centre for Defence Industry Capability website.
