What are the Prizes?
The prizes have not been finalised yet however, last years included a Full VR Flight Simulator (Youth winners) and £5,000.00 cash (Senior winners). As soon as the prizes are finalised and confirmed we will update the website.
What kind of subjects or ideas is the Competition looking for?
We don’t want to be prescriptive as we want you to use your imagination. This is your opportunity to be creative outside the normal constraints of the chain of command and policy/regulation. The main focus of the competition is about innovation in the design and/or employment of technology and we encourage you to think across traditional boundaries of Trades and academic subjects.
Do entries need to meet all relevant interface/integration/regulation requirements?
No. Meeting all the requirements for new aircraft platforms, equipment or information systems/services can be very time consuming and complex. The most important part of the competition is creative thinking in applying engineering principles and technology. Your team might want to identify some of the regulatory/interface/integration challenges but you should not spend a great deal of time on trying to resolve them.
What security classification will the competition be held at and how will this affect any entries that link to existing capability?
The competition will be unclassified and all entries should use open source information only.
What if the proposed technology/system cannot be adequately demonstrated within the £2000 cap for phase 2 of the competition?
£2000 is the funding cap for Phase 2, which will apply equally to all teams so that we maintain a level playing field. Depending on the idea, this funding might be used to progress ideas into a refined concept and design, or maybe to produce prototypes or proof of concept demonstrators. Youth engagement teams may use the money to host or attend STEM events that help them to refine their ideas. Teams will be expected to account for expenditure to ensure that it is spent on resources and events relevant to the competition.
How will the judging work and what assessment criteria will be used?
We aim to use the ‘Dragons Den’ formula, so it would be worth gaining a familiarisation of how the programme runs. Essentially, it’s a timed verbal pitch and demonstration by the team, followed by a series of technical, financial and marketing questions by the panel of judges. For example, teams may be asked to comment on: what capability/issue is being addressed, application of design principles, innovative thinking to overcome challenges, market research, financial planning, project planning, regulations/integration etc. There will be separate judging panels for the Regular Service/DTUS group and the Youth Engagement group, with the nature of questioning tailored to suit.
What documents will we need to submit at each phase (e.g. engineering drawings, network schematics, projects plans etc)?
In Phase 1, we’re looking for the genesis of an idea — no detailed drawings or plans, but the basics of what it is, why it’s needed and how you think it can be achieved. Supporting drawings/sketches to assist in visualising the idea are also encouraged, but the complete submission must occupy no more than 3 sides of A4 using Aerial 11 font.
Will I be entitled to develop my entry in work time and using Service equipment and resources?
You will need to negotiate this with your local Line Management and any other Service organisations that you may need to support development. The duration of the competition is intended to allow time to programme in workshops and engagement activities with your team mates and industrial mentors. However, you will also need to be aware of the Intellectual Property implications of using Service time and resources to help progress your ideas.
What are the rules relating to Invention and Intellectual Property (IP)?
As much as we want to focus on celebrating inspiration and encouraging innovation, there are some rules that we can’t overlook. Those relating to Invention and IP apply when teams use Service resources (time, tools, test equipment, workshops etc) to help develop their ideas; or when a team comes up with an idea that is directly related to their primary Service responsibilities . When this occurs, the MoD could claim the Intellectual Property for the military application of the idea. Where an idea is taken forward to manufacture and delivery, the MoD would work seek to work jointly with the inventor and industry to arrive at a commercial arrangement that would aim to benefit all parties.
Rules relating to innovation and IP will only come into effect in Phase 2 of the competition and do not apply to the Youth Engagement Competition.
