Flying sensors to aid Defence

The federal government has announced a new research project for sensor and onboard data processing technology for unmanned aerial systems and small-satellite platforms.

The $1.1 million Defence Materials Technology Centre (DMTC) project aims to enhance Australian defence capability and build industrial capacity.

“This project aims to develop miniaturised, high-frequency sensor systems for deployment on CubeSats and other unmanned aerial platforms, advancing passive radar technologies related to the processing of both line-of-sight and reflected GPS signals in real time,” said Minister for Defence Industry Christopher Pyne.

An initial application could enable the Department of Defence to deploy UAVs to accurately estimate sea-state conditions, leading to improved safety, speed and fuel consumption for Navy vessels, the Minister said.

The project is the first of four under DMTC’s High Altitude Sensor Systems program, launched last September.

DMTC partners include Seaskip and UNSW Sydney’s Australian Centre for Space Engineering Research (ACSER).

Minister Pyne said DMTC’s model relies on the active involvement of every partner.

“Defence’s ongoing involvement through a senior stakeholder group gives the end customer for this activity an awareness of promising new technologies and an opportunity to play their part in promoting the growth of an emerging industrial base,” Minister Pyne said.

“The DMTC model makes every dollar invested by the government go further.”

Under the co-investment model, funding from government agencies (in this case, CSIRO) is leveraged by contributions of cash and resources from industry and research partners.

DMTC is part of the Defence Innovation Hub, launched in 2016, which will invest around $640 million over the decade in maturing and further developing technologies.

Image courtesy Department of Defence.

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