A competition has been launched by DASA to find new ideas to improve autonomy in difficult conditions.
The Defence and Security Accelerator (DASA) has created a new £4million fund to seek ideas that improve autonomy in dangerous and challenging environments. The project will run across several phases and seeks technology to improve autonomous systems to be used across defence organisations.
Systems like these are increasingly used in defence operations. The DASA funding is available to a number of projects and will go to ideas that will increase the capability of autonomous systems in extreme environments such as deserts, the arctic, and out at sea.
This competition is seeking technologies to broaden the environmental and performance envelope of unmanned autonomous or semi-autonomous systems to include:
- unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV)
- unmanned surface vehicle (USV)
- unmanned ground vehicle (UGV)
- unmanned air system (UAS)
- or hybrid systems.
This challenge seeks proposals that address human-machine teaming when the ability to communicate with the unmanned systems is limited, fleeting or not at all possible for extended periods. DASA is seeking innovative technologies which address this, such as anisotropic materials applications, soft robotics, embodied artificial intelligence (AI) or other novel methods to increase autonomous systems’ ability to respond or adapt to environmental challenges.
The competition focuses on three challenges, perception and situational awareness, mobility, and maintaining effective human-machine partnerships. The competition closes on 10 October, queries can be sent to accelerator@dstl.gov.uk and further information, along with competition documents, is available on the government website, maximum funding for the first phase is £2.million and more funding is expected to be available later on.
If you would like to join our community and read more articles like this then please click here.
autonomous competition DASA environment funding UAV USV
Post written by: Vicky Maggiani
Vicky has worked in media for over 25 years and has a wealth of experience in editing and creating copy for a variety of sectors.
RELATED ARTICLES
March 7, 2025
Homeland - Energetic UK SME Raplas awarded DTEP funding
Sully based SME Raplas Technologies Ltd has been awarded funding through the latest round of the Defence Technology Exploitation Programme (DTEP). They
February 14, 2025
Land - Revolutionising Tactical Communications Security in Defence
Picture this scenario: armoured vehicles move through contested terrain. The mission is complex, with multiple units coordinating across a battlefield
