Mistral and Zoltix have won the top prizes in a joint challenge by the U.S. Defense Innovation Unit and the Singapore Ministry of Defence. The startups won a combined $150,000 in awards from the initiative that aims to develop advanced drone communications and counter-drone technologies for both nations’ militaries.
The challenge comprised two parts: one seeking solutions to detect, track, identify and neutralize unauthorized drones near coastal operations, the other focusing on resilient communications for small commercial drones during humanitarian and disaster relief missions.
Maryland-based Mistral won the $80,000 prize for the first challenge. Its winning entry, the Victus C2 Gateway solution, integrates detection, tracking and disruption technologies into a single, cost-effective package ideal for challenging environments.
“A standout feature of Mistral’s solution is its ability to integrate with existing defense systems, avoiding the creation of proprietary silos and ensuring compatibility with current operational tools,” DIU said.
Meanwhile, Zoltix received $70,000 for its adaptive communication system that employs automatic sensing and self-adjustment to maintain secure and stable connections in radio frequency-contested and Global Navigation Satellite System-challenged locations. Like Mistral’s solution, Zoltix’s tech is compatible with current drone platforms and a wide range of operations.
“The system’s ability to dynamically sense and adjust frequencies addresses a critical need for reliable drone communications,” DIU said.
The 12-week challenge ran from Sept. 19 to Oct. 30, with 10 companies selected from a pool of 49 global participants for the final pitch event. The other awardees are Black River Systems, Aurelius Systems, Domo Tactical Communications and TILT Autonomy. According to DIU, the selected innovations could potentially be deployed by the U.S. and Singapore navies.
This challenge is the first collaboration under a memorandum of understanding between MINDEF and the Pentagon. Signed by Singapore Chief Defense Scientist Tan Peng Yam and DIU Director Doug BecK last May, the MOU aims to enhance the two nations’ cooperation in adopting and scaling commercial technologies to address shared operational challenges.