Autonomous aircraft, boats, satellites among $21 million in defence grants

Eight new contracts were announced under the Defence Innovation Hub program on Tuesday morning, with a total value of over $21 million.

Recipients were two universities and six SMEs.

The University of Sydney received $6.5 million to develop a new imaging system for situation awareness in military settings.

“If successful, this technology could help to make decisions that will keep Australian troops safer in the battle space,” said defence industry minister Melissa Price.

Unmanned surface vessel builder Ocius received $5.5 million for its Bluebottle surveillance platform (pictured.) It had previously received a $3 million under the DIH program.

Other manufacturers to win grants include satellite business High Earth Orbit Robotics, to develop a “de-centralised network technology that can be used to improve Defence’s situational awareness” and UAV Vision, for a “compact lightweight, high-definition video system that can be fitted to unmanned aerial vehicles.”

Explaining the makeup of contract winners is the number one current innovation priority of the program: “Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance, Electronic Warfare, Space and Cyber”. A full list of the round’s winners can be seen below.

According to the federal government, over 80 per cent of the $200 million allocated through the program so far has been to micro businesses and SMEs.

The DIH program is budgeted at roughly $640 million for the decade to 2025 – 2026, and is for proposals “that are ready to enter the engineering and development stages of the innovation process.”

Picture: Ocius

Subscribe to our free @AuManufacturing newsletter here.

(Source: https://www.minister.defence.gov.au)

Organisation	State	Contract Value (GST incl.)	Description of innovation
University of Sydney	NSW	$6.5 million	To continue the development of a new imaging system that uses light technology to enhance real time situational awareness. If successful, this technology could improve the quality of the data and information to enhance decision making.
Solar Sailor Engineering Pty Ltd (Trading as Ocuis)	NSW	$5.5 million	To continue the development of Bluebottle, an innovative unmanned surface vessel. If successful, this technology could provide the Royal Australian Navy with a unique capability to help protect Australian maritime borders.
Penten Pty Ltd	ACT	$5.4 million	To continue the development of data protection products. If successful, this technology could provide protection of information that is processed, stored and transmitted from portable electronic devices.
UAV Vision Pty Ltd (trading as AVT Australia)	VIC	$1.9 million	To develop a compact lightweight, high-definition video system that can be fitted to unmanned aerial vehicles. If successful, this technology could enhance reconnaissance and surveillance capabilities.
Quintessence Labs Pty Ltd	ACT	$1.7 million	To develop a system that can rationalise multiple IT systems into one online environment. If successful, this technology could be used when both physical space and power options are limited.
High Earth Orbit Robotics Pty Ltd	NSW	$270,000	To conduct research into de-centralised network technology that can be used to improve Defence’s situational awareness of the space domain.
RUAG Australia Pty Ltd	VIC	$270,000	Together with RMIT and Monash University, RUAG are seeking to develop a new technique for repairing hulls, armour and mechanical systems. If successful, this technology could offer significant sustainment benefits to the ADF by reducing costs and improving operational agility.
Deakin University	VIC	$260,000	To research the development of an Australian-based pilot training system for the Royal Australian Air Force. This would be Australia’s first high g-force training simulator offering the Air Force access to world-class training locally.