Defence Innovation Partnership awards $1M-worth of research grants

In its largest ever funding round, South Australia’s Defence Innovation Partnership (DIP) has awarded over $1 million to fund collaborative defence research ventures.

Seven new projects will be enabled by the fourth round of the Defence Innovation Partnership’s Collaborative Research Fund.

“The Collaborative Research Fund has already supported 13 innovative projects, and with an extra seven now awarded funding, we’re engaging some of our best scientists and researchers to help deliver advanced defence technologies and capabilities from South Australia,” said SA Premier Steven Marshall.

“A robust and resilient defence industry depends on a strong research base; establishing a collaborative environment in which defence-relevant research, development and innovation can thrive is a high priority for South Australia, and one that will continue to grow.”

Space-related defence research features heavily in this funding round:

• $150,000 forcoastline monitoring using autonomous high-altitude platforms, led by Lux Aerobot, with partners the University of Adelaide and University of South Australia
• $149,576 for the development offreeform optics for small satellites, led by University of South Australia, with partners Department of Defence (Defence Science and Technology Group), Amaero Engineering Pty Ltd, The University of Adelaide, and SMR Automotive Australia.
• $149, 659 to developnanofluid satellite thrusters, led by University of South Australia, with partners Department of Defence (Defence Science and Technology Group), The University of Adelaide, Inovor Technologies, ULVAC Technologies, Inc., and Nano Spaces.

The remaining projects will support delivery and sustainment of the nation’s future defence capabilities, and include:

• $150,000 forquantum-enhanced clock synchronisation over a free-space channel, led by Cryoclock Pty Ltd with partners The University of Adelaide, Department of Defence (Defence Science and Technology Group) and the University of South Australia.
• $150,000 forenabling superior decision making through battlespace visualisation, led by Voxon Photonics, with partners BAE Systems Australia, Flinders University, University of South Australia and the Royal Australian Navy
• $149,986 for developing theintelligence and forensic potential of dust traces for counter-terrorism and national security, led by Flinders University, with partners The University of Adelaide, the Australian Federal Police, and The University of Canberra.
• $131,738 to developsolutions for light pollution from console displays on naval platforms, led by APC Technology, with partners the University of Adelaide, and University of South Australia.

Defence Innovation Partnership Advisory Board Chair Kim Scott said the seven successful projects are a strong example of how networks like the Defence Innovation Partnership push the potential of collaborative research for the benefit of Australia’s defence and national security. Over three years, the Defence innovation Partnership has generated close to $8.3 millions-worth of defence R&D funding in South Australia through its Collaborative Research Fund.

Seven pioneering projects supported under the first three funding rounds have so far reached completion with impact in diverse areas like electronic warfare, PFAS remediation and artificial intelligence for decision making and human factors.