Defence AI Model Arena: Computer Vision Competition for Autonomous Drone Systems

The Defence AI Model Arena is inviting suppliers to compete in developing computer vision capabilities for autonomous drones in land-based AI-enabled swarming systems. This competition, sponsored by Rapid AI Delivery Taskforce (RAID), uses a "demonstration by doing" approach where suppliers are evaluated on actual model performance against a military object detection use case rather than written proposals alone. The opportunity is structured in three stages: Stage 1 (16 September - 11 October 2026) focuses on establishing a performance baseline using provided datasets; Stage 2 (14 October - 30 October 2026) enables selected suppliers to collaborate directly with Defence users, access representative data, and refine their models based on operational feedback; Stage 3 (Early 2027) supports continued development of successful solutions within an industry co-creation ecosystem. Participating suppliers will receive evidence-based performance feedback, direct access to the Defence user community, and the opportunity to contribute to evolving capability across multiple sensing domains and decision-making layers. A mandatory supplier registration is required on both the Model Arena and Commercial X dynamic Market platforms. Interested suppliers are strongly encouraged to attend the drop-in session on 9 September 2026 at 13:00 for detailed information on the use case, datasets, technical requirements, and commercial terms. The session will be recorded for those unable to attend.