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DIU
The Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) is a U.S. Department of Defense organization that helps the military rapidly adopt leading commercial technology. It acts as a bridge between the Pentagon and tech companies that don't traditionally work with the government.
TECHNICAL DEFINITION
The Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) is a United States Department of Defense (DoD) organization focused on accelerating the adoption and scaling of commercial technology for military use. Operating as a nexus between the Pentagon and non-traditional tech vendors, DIU utilizes rapid prototyping and acquisition authorities to field solutions in areas like AI, autonomy, cyber, space, and human systems.
BACKGROUND
The Defense Innovation Unit (DIU), also called Unit X, is a United States Department of Defense (DoD) organization founded to help the U.S. military make faster use of emerging commercial technologies. Launched in 2015, the organization has been called "the Pentagon's Innovation Experiment". DIU is staffed by civilian and both active duty and reserve military personnel. The organization is headquartered in Mountain View, California – Silicon Valley – with offices in Austin, Boston, Chicago, and the Pentagon just outside Washington, D.C.
READ MORE ON WIKIPEDIASYNONYMS & ALIASES
- Defense Innovation Unit
- DIUx
- DoD Innovation Hub
- Pentagon Tech Accelerator
USAGE NOTE
DIU is often mentioned in discussions about reforming defense acquisition to leverage the speed and innovation of the commercial technology sector.
DEVELOPERS
Organizations developing technology related to DIU.
A defense technology company that builds AI-powered autonomous systems for national security. Anduril frequently partners with DIU to rapidly field technologies like their Lattice command and control platform and autonomous sentry towers.
Specializes in big data analytics software. Palantir has worked on numerous DIU projects, deploying its Gotham platform to help military organizations integrate and analyze disparate data sources for operational planning and intelligence.
Develops an artificial intelligence pilot, Hivemind, that enables aircraft to operate autonomously without GPS or communications. The company has worked with DIU to advance autonomous capabilities for military aircraft.
A leading U.S. manufacturer of autonomous drones. Skydio was selected by DIU for the Blue sUAS program to provide trusted, small unmanned aerial systems for reconnaissance and situational awareness to military units.
Operates the largest constellation of Earth-imaging satellites. Through DIU contracts, Planet provides high-cadence satellite imagery and data analytics to the Department of Defense for global monitoring and intelligence.
An AI data platform that provides high-quality training data for machine learning applications. Scale AI has been awarded DIU contracts to help DoD organizations label data and accelerate the development of AI capabilities for national security.
A developer of simulation and validation software for autonomous systems. The company has worked with DIU to provide its virtual testing platform to accelerate the development and fielding of autonomous vehicles for the U.S. Army.
Operates a constellation of satellites that detect and geolocate radio frequency (RF) signals from space. DIU has contracted with HawkEye 360 to provide commercial RF data and analytics to U.S. military commands.