Coming Soon: New funding and prizes for Counter Uncrewed Aerial Systems challenge

New funding and prizes will be available for innovators at all developmental stages of counter-drone technology through the Innovation for Defence Excellence and Security (IDEaS) program Counter Uncrewed Aerial Systems (CUAS) challenge, launching this summer.

Do you have a creative concept for this challenge, but need some funding to kick-start or continue your development?

Do you have an innovative prototype that will soon be ready to demonstrate to the Canadian Armed Forces?

In summer 2023, the IDEaS program will seek submissions for:

1. New game-changing CUAS concepts that IDEaS will be funding for development with up to $2.5 million per innovator and up to $11 million in total available, and;
2. CUAS prototypes that are ready to test and demonstrate at our 2024 CUAS Sandbox.
   • • May 27 to June 21, 2024, in Suffield, Alberta.
     • Now with $2 million of total Sandbox prizes being awarded, with $1 million for first place, $500,000 for second place, and $250,000 for third place.
     • Open to all CUAS technologies and concepts, with specific interest in kinetic, laser, microwave, and other hard-kill solutions.

This concurrent approach of both lower readiness level concept development and higher level Sandbox demonstrations permits innovative solutions at any stage of development to apply and be eligible for potential funding.

Further details and confirmation of funding amounts will be released with the call for applications in summer 2023.  Subject to confirmation, applications will close in early October 2023 with innovator selections in November 2023!

Visit the IDEaS website Sandboxes page to learn about our past 2019 CUAS and the 2022 CUAS Sandboxes.

The IDEaS team