SBRI Launch ‘Many Drones Make Light Work’ Competition

With advances in unmanned aircraft capturing the interest of a range of sectors, the SBRI (Small Business Research Initiative) has put together a competition based on the successful development and operation of a 'swarm' of drones to be used by the military. This research challenge has come about at a crucial time in the growth of the drone market, with everyone from the offshore industry and agricultural companies to emergency services departments looking to them as a viable resource.

Drones for Defence

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) are reportedly looking to invest up to £3m over Phases 1 and 2 of this exciting competition which displays their eagerness for viable drone solutions. Entry criteria centres around workable proposals for technology solutions that are able to demonstrate the range of benefits that swarms of more than twenty drones, could bring to the defence industry. The aim of this challenge is to manage these swarms in coordination with each other to benefit military operations across the electromagnetic spectrum and a range of environments; all controlled by a single operator. The scope of this competition addresses:

1. Open, modular unmanned aerial systems (UAS)

2. 'UAS swarm' mission management

3. Development of enabling technology for 'UAS swarms'

As well as developing the necessary innovative components, entrants must be able to demonstrate integrated system solutions, which should comprise technology from a number of differing suppliers.

How to Take Part

If you're interested in throwing your hat into the ring, the SBRI competition is set to open on 25th August 2016 and the briefing will be given during the 'CDE Innovation Network' event on Thursday 22th September 2016. The competition closes on 3rd November 2016 at 5pm. Proposals must be submitted to CDE via an online form which you can access here.

...

Keep checking back to Heliguy's Insider blog for more on the development of unmanned technology and, of course, the latest news from the drone industry.