DIU names 10 finalists for counter-drone challenge aligned with Replicator-2

The Pentagon's innovation engine yesterday selected 10 companies to move forward in its competition to put low-cost sensing solutions to counter small drones in the hands of warfighters at breakneck speed, in line with the Defense Department's Replicator-2 initiative.

The companies -- BLUEiQ, CHAOS 1, Fortem Technologies, Guardian RF, Hidden Level, MatrixSpace, REVOBEAM, Squarehead Technology, Teledyne FLIR Defense and Thalrix -- are set to go through live demonstrations and tests at US. Northern Command’s Falcon Peak 25.2 exercise in September, the Defense Innovation Unit said.

The “prize purse” distribution will be decided based on performance at Falcon Peak, which DIU said “will provide a real-world test” of counter-small uncrewed aerial system (C-sUAS) solutions.

Nearly $1 million was up for grabs at the beginning of the challenge, but part of that overall funding will be used to help cover the costs for finalists’ participation at Falcon Peak, per DIU’s initial announcement.

Aside from that prize money, DIU said top performers at the demonstration event could be considered for follow-on opportunities like Other Transaction Agreements (OTA), Cooperative Research and Development Agreements (CRADA) or direct transitions into operational use.

Replicator-2 is the second installment in the Pentagon’s initiative to counter China’s military mass -- launched in late September -- with a focus on the accelerated and scaled fielding of C-sUAS technologies and getting them into warfighter hands by September 2026. The initial Replicator effort -- announced in August 2023 -- targeted the deployment of thousands of autonomous, attritable systems by this August across all military domains.

The selection comes nearly three months after the challenge -- for which DIU said it received 118 submissions -- launched in early May.

DIU said the solutions chosen use a wide range of sensor types -- including radio signals, radar and sound detection -- as well as regular or heat-sensing cameras. Some are equipped with several different modality technologies.

“These ten finalists represent the forefront of sensor innovation,” David Payne, DIU’s Replicator-2 director, said, “demonstrating how diverse technological approaches can enhance our layered defense.”

These technologies could save the Defense Department 50% to 80% in total ownership cost, compared to current systems, according to DIU.