Submarine Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) Digital Radio for Ad-Hoc Networked Communications Navy SBIR FY2012.1 Sol No.: Navy SBIR FY2012.1 Topic No.: N121-075 Topic Title: Submarine Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) Digital Radio for Ad-Hoc Networked Communications Proposal No.: N121-075-0665 Firm: Lexycom Technologies, Inc. 425 South Bowen Street Unit 1 Longmont, Colorado 80501-6140 Contact: Aleksey Pozhidaev Phone: (303) 774-7822 Web Site: www.lexycominc.com Abstract: Lexycom is proposing to design a miniature, lightweight, power efficient, encrypted, multi-service, software defined radio (SDR) transceiver for use in a mobile ad-hoc Network (MANET). To reduce the SDRs' power consumption, Lexycom plans to implement a reactive ad-hoc network enhanced by a contention-based technique and/or by a scheduling protocol. To strengthen security and improve the data link RF budget, the system will be equipped with miniature Self-Structuring Antennas (SSA). The SDR-driven SSAs would optimize their aperture in response to the Network nodes' movements, and to compensate for platform drift. They would also maintain detuning immunity when covered with water. Lexycom will use their already existing multi-service (data, video, and voice) SDR platform as a test-bed to determine the optimum waveform for the sought over-the-horizon (OTH) MANET. We foresee the proposed SDRs to perform cognitive spectrum utilization by implementing closed-loop QoS-based packet-by-packet waveform adjustments. Our preliminary study shows that the proposed solution might weigh as little as 10 oz. (<4 oz. SDR; ~6 oz. antenna) with average power consumption ~3W while supporting real-time encryption and delivering simultaneous HiDef video and data. The proposed SDRs would be in-field upgradable running an optional real-time operating system (RTOS) for additional flexibility to facilitate diagnostics. Benefits: Unmanned vehicle systems can be put to use in a multitude of applications such as border patrol, search and rescue, intelligence/information gathering, remote monitoring, and public safety. The ability to fly over a specific geographic region and provide multi-service data and situational information to ground patrols, fixed base stations, and field operations would be extremely beneficial to both military and civilian applications. The use of Unmanned Aerial Systems for border patrol would be an effective tool to curb unofficial entry of people and/or goods in to the United States. Search and rescue teams would benefit from the use of Unmanned Aerial Systems by greatly reducing the search time with the ability to locate missing and/or injured parties via a fly over. Remote monitoring in desolate hard to reach areas would serve as an early warning system in the event of natural disasters. Main concerns for police, fire, and emergency medical personnel are the ability to react swiftly, efficiently, and safely to both natural and man-made disasters. Multi-service real time communications with fly-over capability would be extremely beneficial in emergency situations when first responder activities need to be highly coordinated between several different groups. Return