Global Ordnance and Sparkz disclose plans for 500,000 US-made UAV batteries a year
The companies have outlined plans for US$25 million manufacturing lines and initial deliveries in 2027 as Washington tightens restrictions on Chinese UAV components.
Irish government dedicates €2.4 million to new brain trust
Each of the teams will focus on a particular challenge. (Image: SFI)
Irish Ministers Simon Harris and Simon Coveney have announced ten research teams have been shortlisted for the defence innovation competition.
The Irish Ministers for Defence; for Foreign Affairs; and for Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science dedicated €2.4 million in funding to develop disruptive defence solutions on 17 February.
Ten research teams have been shortlisted for the SFI-Defence Organisation Innovation Challenge.
They will collaborate with the Irish Defence Forces and compete for funding to develop disruptive solutions to a number of challenges identified by the Defence Organisation. Each team will tackle a particular issue.
These include a portable device to detect biological agents, AI technology to assist the Irish Air Corps to fight wildfires, reducing the carbon footprint of its vehicle fleet to a novel prototype marine electric motor and a cooperative system that will allow a human controller and robot to work together to manoeuvre aircraft.
Simon Harris, the Minister for Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, commented: ‘Today, the ten [teams] will be awarded funding to initiate their projects and one will secure €1 million in funding’.
The SFI-Defence Organisation Innovation Challenges consists of three phases, Concept, Seed and Prize Award.
After three months, up to five shortlisted teams will be provided with further funding to validate and prototype their solutions and the finalists will then compete for the final award, to be announced in January 2023.
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