Singapore’s Defence Science and Technology Agency (DSTA) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with US drone manufacturer Skydio. The MOU will enable collaboration on autonomous drone research and development for defence and national security applications.
The partnership aims to harness Skydio’s expertise in AI-enabled autonomous drone systems to enhance surveillance, inspection and first responder capabilities for military operations, search and rescue, and humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR) missions. DSTA also aims to nurture local talent and deepen competencies in AI and autonomy through training programmes with Skydio.
Skydio is a dual-use company supporting customers across public safety, utilities, transportation and defence.
“In today’s fast-evolving landscape, we need to push the tech envelope and embrace collaboration with innovative companies like Skydio,” said DSTA’s Director of Air Systems, Ang Jer Meng. “We’re excited to learn from their rich expertise and work together to stay ahead of the curve and advance Singapore’s defence and homeland security capabilities.”
“The future will be dominated by uncrewed and autonomous systems that act as machine partners to soldiers and give them the information they need to stay safe and gain an asymmetric advantage on the battlefield,” said Skydio’s Justin Jordan. “Skydio looks forward to working with the innovative and passionate team at DSTA.”
