Exciting New Themed Competition Unveils Innovative Sensor Sensibility Challenge

New Themed Competition for Electro-Optic Sensing Technologies

UK Defence Innovation (UKDI), acting on behalf of the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl), has announced the launch of an exciting £2.8 million Themed Competition aimed at discovering innovative electro-optic sensing technologies. This initiative is designed to bolster the UK’s defence capabilities across various domains, including land, maritime, air, and space. The competition, part of the Electro Optic Sensing (EOS) project, seeks to identify solutions that enable military forces to operate more effectively in contested and degraded environments.

The total funding of up to £2.8 million (excluding VAT) is anticipated to support between five and seven projects. Individual proposals can secure funding of up to £600,000, with the expectation that these projects will advance technologies from Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 3 to TRL 6.

Focus Areas for Innovation

Electro-optic sensors are integral to contemporary military operations, facilitating critical functions such as threat warning, target detection, discrimination, and identification. UKDI is keen to discover innovative solutions that can enhance sensing range, improve target recognition, effectively operate through environmental obscurants, and provide heightened situational awareness for defence personnel.

The competition encompasses nine specific challenge areas:

• Infrared active imaging
• Detection and characterisation of laser sources on the battlefield, including technologies to counter electromagnetic jamming
• Cost-effective wide-area day and night sensing through challenging environments
• Detection and identification of dim and distant targets in cluttered environments
• Underwater environmental sensing and imaging technologies for turbid media
• Automatic Target Recognition (ATR) for 3D LiDAR data
• Machine learning techniques for hyperspectral imaging
• Low Size, Weight, and Power-Cost (SWaP-C) hyperspectral sensors for tactical platforms
• High-resolution imaging through aperture synthesis

Proposal Submission Process

The competition will employ a two-stage submission model. In Stage 1, innovators can present an outline concept, which will be followed by an invitation-only full proposal in Stage 2. This model allows innovators to quickly ascertain whether their ideas align with defence needs before dedicating substantial effort to a detailed submission.

It is essential for applicants to review the complete competition document and view the recorded webinar prior to submitting their proposals.

This competition is open to UK-registered businesses, sole traders, and UK academic institutions, with all projects expected to be executed within the UK.

Stage 1 submissions are due by 12 noon GMT on 9 December 2026, and successful candidates will move on to the next phase in early 2027.

If you possess a groundbreaking technology that could shape the future of electro-optic sensors, consult the competition document and submit your proposal.