NIST PSCR Tech to Protect Challenge

NIST PSCR First Responder UAS Challenge

Funds teams and companies building unmanned aircraft system technology for first responders through NIST PSCR open innovation prize competitions.

Eligibility · United States (live event); open to broad participation per PSCR global program description

The NIST Public Safety Communications Research (PSCR) Division administers the First Responder UAS Challenge series as part of its Open Innovation Prize Challenges program. PSCR is a division of the National Institute of Standards and Technology within the U.S. Department of Commerce.

The most recent edition — the 2024 UAS Wireless Data Gatherer Challenge (UAS 6.0) — offered up to $760,000 in total prizes across three stages. Previous editions have offered between $250,000 and $987,500. Prizes are paid directly to winning teams. NIST takes no equity and makes no IP claim on participant solutions. The challenges are fully non-dilutive.

Eligibility is broad: the challenge sought innovators from across and beyond the UAS ecosystem, including companies with expertise in AI, radio communications, mapping, IoT, and cybersecurity. For-profit companies competed and won in the most recent edition, including Team Engineering Dynamics (2nd place, $75,000) and Team ManTech. Teams may include companies, individuals, or mixed groups.

The UAS challenge series has run multi-stage competitions since 2018. Stage 1 is typically a call for papers (concepts). Stage 2 tests whole-system performance. Stage 3 is a live in-person event where finalists demonstrate their UAS in a real-world scenario. Category-specific specialty prizes are also awarded for individual capabilities (radio, endurance, collision avoidance, survey acuity, affordability, portability).

The UAS 6.0 challenge completed its Stage 3 live event in 2025. NIST PSCR continues to assess future prize challenge opportunities. Any next edition will be announced on Challenge.gov and the PSCR website. The program is currently between cycles.