Automated Discovery for Design and Control of Turbulent Systems (AutoDIDACTS) Proposers Day

Other / Unclassified

This document is a Special Notice announcing a Proposers Day webcast for the "Automated Discovery for Design and Control of Turbulent Systems (AutoDIDACTS)" program, sponsored by DARPA's Defense Sciences Office. The webcast is scheduled for April 1, 2026, from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time. The purpose of the Proposers Day is to inform potential proposers about the program's vision and goals, explain DARPA program mechanics, and encourage teaming. A Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) is anticipated in March 2026.

• Program Objective: The AutoDIDACTS program aims to develop new paradigms for rapid design exploration and innovation in aeronautical design and turbulence control, focusing on data-informed discovery of universal principles for turbulent systems.
• Key Areas: The program requires expertise in experimental simulation of turbulent flow, data-informed techniques for discovering predictive principles, and design/development for challenge problems (e.g., high-endurance MAVs, adaptive control, supersonic optimization).
• Teaming: DARPA encourages teaming and offers an Attendee List and a Proposer Profile List to facilitate connections.
• Proposers Day Details:
  • Webcast Date/Time: April 1, 2026, 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. ET.
  • Registration: Required via https://events.sa-meetings.com/AutoDIDACTSProposersDay. Registration closes March 18, 2026.
  • Eligibility: Open to U.S. citizens, U.S. permanent residents, and foreign nationals. Specific forms may be required for non-U.S. citizens.
  • Lightning Talks: 5-minute presentations to outline interests and capabilities, with submission deadline March 27, 2026.
  • Individual Meetings: 8-minute virtual meetings with the Program Manager available.
  • Contracts Meeting: Separate meeting for contracting personnel on April 1, 2026.
• Important Notes:
  • This notice is for informational and planning purposes only and does not constitute a solicitation.
  • No submissions are accepted against this notice, except for teaming profiles and Lightning Talk materials.
  • DARPA will not reimburse participation costs.
  • Recording the webcast is not permitted.

Amendment / Modification

• The sidebar time for the DARPA-SN-26-47 Automated Discovery for Design and Control of Turbulent Systems (AutoDIDACTS) Special Notice has been updated.

• The original sidebar time was 2:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

• The new sidebar time is 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

• The Special Notice (DARPA-SN-26-47) has been modified.

• All changes are highlighted in yellow within the document.

• No other changes have been made to the Special Notice, except as referenced herein. This amendment primarily affects the timing of the sidebar.

Other / Unclassified

This document is a Special Notice (SN) announcing a Proposers Day webcast for the DARPA Automated Discovery for Design and Control of Turbulent Systems (AutoDIDACTS) program. The Proposers Day is scheduled for April 1, 2026, from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time. The event aims to introduce the research community to the program's vision and goals, explain DARPA program mechanics, and encourage teaming. DARPA anticipates releasing a Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) for AutoDIDACTS in March 2026.

The AutoDIDACTS program seeks to develop and validate new paradigms for rapid design exploration and innovation in aeronautical design and turbulence control. The core objective is to use data-informed discovery to identify universal and predictive macroscale principles for designing and controlling turbulent systems, aiming for high predictive accuracy and generalizability across various regimes relevant to the Department of War.

• The program requires teams with expertise in experimental simulation of turbulent flow, data-informed discovery techniques, and design/development for challenge problems.

• Validation will occur through performer-defined benchmarks and comparisons with CFD computations and wind-tunnel measurements.

• Potential challenge problems include design of high-endurance MAVs, adaptive control techniques, supersonic optimization, and resilient optical communications.

• DARPA encourages teaming and will facilitate connections among interested parties.

• Options include an Attendee List and a Proposer Profile List for networking.

• Lightning Talks (5-minute presentations) will be available to facilitate teaming discussions.

• Individual meetings with the Program Manager are available by request.

• A separate meeting with the DARPA Contracts Management Office will address proposal submission, contracting, and pricing.

• Advance registration is required for the webcast via the provided website.

• Registration closes on March 18, 2026, or when capacity is reached.

• The event is open to registered potential proposers, including U.S. citizens, U.S. permanent residents, and foreign nationals.

• Specific forms (DARPA Form 60 or Official Visit Request) are required for non-U.S. citizens.

• This announcement is for informational and planning purposes only and does not constitute a solicitation.

• No submissions will be accepted against this notice, except for the one-page teaming profile and Lightning Talk materials.

• DARPA will not reimburse costs incurred for participation.

• Recording the webcast is not permitted.

• Technical Point of Contact: Dr. Mukund Vengalattore, Program Manager.

• Email for questions: AutoDIDACTS@darpa.mil

• Registration Website: https://events.sa-meetings.com/AutoDIDACTSProposersDay

• DARPA Opportunities Website: https://www.darpa.mil/work-with-us/opportunities