Natural Hazards Detection System
Natural Hazards Detection System (NHDS) Pilot Grants Recipients Announced
The seven successful Pilot grant recipients have now been announced. Further details on the successful companies can be found at this webpage.
Further detail on the NHDS Program can be found below.
NHDS Program Phase 2 Pilots
Phase 2 of the NHDS Program is delivering large-scale pilot trials of innovative flood and bushfire detection technologies in partnership with local councils and emergency services.
The pilots are being conducted across two designated local government areas (LGAs): Shoalhaven and Clarence Valley.
The Phase 2 NHDS Pilots targeted competitive grants are providing up to $350,000 per applicant from a total funding pool of $1.75 million.
These grants support the deployment of solutions that demonstrate capability in detecting and monitoring natural hazards, while also delivering critical data to government agencies to inform disaster mitigation and emergency response planning in NSW.
About the NHDS Program
The NHDS Program is a $3.3 million, multi-phased competitive grant program aimed at testing innovative detection technologies. The goal is to improve early identification and warning systems for natural hazards such as floods and bushfires, providing residents with more time to evacuate and enabling emergency services to prioritise areas of highest risk.
The NHDS Program allows companies to demonstrate that their technology is both fit for purpose and offers value for money, while also enabling emergency management agencies to evaluate their suitability to address identified challenges. The challenges were developed by NSW Government agencies, with a focus on fire and flood detection.
The NSW Government is committed to advancing innovative technologies to enhance natural hazard detection, aligning with Recommendation 5 of the NSW Bushfire Inquiry (2020) and Recommendation 2 of the NSW Flood Inquiry (2022). Both inquiries highlight the importance of using new detection technologies to mitigate the impact of natural hazards by delivering timely warnings.
The NHDS Program is administered by the Office of the Chief Scientist & Engineer (OCSE) within the Premier’s Department, in collaboration with the NSW Reconstruction Authority (RA).
The NHDS Program has three phases:
Phase 1: Proof-of-Concept – Organisations submit proposals to address a specific challenge and funding will be allocated through a competitive process.
NHDS Program Phase 1 Proof-of-Concept Grant Recipients
Phase 1 grant recipients were eligible to apply for Phase 2, through a competitive process.
Phase 2: Pilot (by invitation) – Trial technology on a large scale in real-world scenarios.
NHDS Program Phase 2 Pilot Grant Recipients
Phase 3: Post-NHDS grant – NSW Government will assess the solutions and may consider them for procurement. Note: participation in the program does not guarantee procurement.
Contact
Contact the NHDS team at nhds@chiefscientist.nsw.gov.au for more information.
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