Solutions to win: Ministry of Digital Transformation announces $1 mln grant to combat enemy drones
Photo: open sources
Developers from Ukraine will be able to submit their proposed solutions for countering enemy drones at the Anti–Shahed Drone Hackathon, hosted by the Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine.
The press service of the Ministry of Digital Transformation reported this.
What is the problem?
Despite all the public announcements about the Army of Drones, purchases by the Ministry of Defense, and international and volunteer aid, this still does not cover 10% of the front's needs.
"The situation with drones at the moment is the following: we do not cover even 10% of the needs of the front. We are in a situation where we cover the need by using our people. That is, where we do not use equipment, we use people. If there is no possibility to raise a drone and see where the enemy is coming from, then people go into reconnaissance. If the enemy can see where we are and determine our positions, the enemy covers us with fire. The enemy sees us, but we do not," noted the head of the Air Intelligence Support Center NGO Maria Berlinska.
What is the solution?
The hackathon will take place on June 24-25 in Kyiv. It aims to unite developers, engineers, and cyber specialists who create systems and technologies for detecting and destroying enemy drones.
How does it work?
"If your product proves its effectiveness, and the Defense Forces confirm that this kind of development is necessary here and now, you will receive a $1 million contract for implementing or scaling the development that will destroy enemy drones in the Ukrainian sky," the message emphasized.
Innovators who:
- have development ideas and want to receive funding for their implementation;
- seek to seal the created defense-tech developments that will help fight enemy drones and destroy them;
- produce UAVs that can be effective on the battlefield.
To register, a person needs to fill out the online form via the link.
The Anti-Shahеd Drone Hackathon is implemented on the initiative of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the Ministry of Digital Transformation, and the Ministry of Infrastructure within the framework of the Army of Drones project for the second time.
30 teams of developers participated in the first hackathon, which presented technological solutions for the development of UAVs.
As a result, six teams became winners. In half a year, they implemented and demonstrated their ideas on the training ground.
For reference:
It should be noted that in the summer of 2022, the United24 fundraising platform together with the General Staff of the Armed Forces and the Ministry of Digital Transformation announced the start of the Army of Drones project. This program includes the systematic purchase of drones, their repair and operational replacement, and a pilot training course.
Over the year, the United 24 fundraising platform raised $325 million, and 10,000 UAV operators have already been trained in Ukraine as part of the Army of Drones project.
As Rubryka wrote, two friends from Prykarpattia created a mine-laying drone for the Armed Forces.
Rubryka also wrote about engineers who developed the first domestic thermal imager for the military.
Read also – Solutions to win: Odesa factory produces strike drones
