The Department of Defense is looking to spur innovation while working with university and industry researchers.
Earlier this month, the DOD announced an award competition for the Defense Enterprise Science Initiative, or DESI. The new pilot program supports university and industry collaboration on use-inspired research.
The program hopes to incentivize research or scientific study aimed at “discovering novel solutions to challenging defense and national security problems.”
“Through these projects, DESI aims to accelerate the impact of basic research results on defense capabilities, inform existing or future acquisition programs, and support sustainable collaboration between the nation’s universities and the private sector,” officials said.
This year's competition is themed around technologies related to sensing, mobility and autonomy, with research topics including autonomous unmanned aerial vehicles, power beaming and metamaterial-based antennas, but additional topics also will be considered.
For more information, go to the Broad Agency Announcement FA9550-18-S-B001 at grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=299112.
Drew Brooks