DON27BZ02-NV022 TITLE: Collapsible Fixed-Wing Low-Cost Unmanned Aerial System for Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Missions

COMPONENT TECHNOLOGY PRIORITY AREA(S): Advanced Materials;Integrated Sensing and Cyber;Trusted AI and Autonomy

PROJECTED CMMC LEVEL REQUIREMENT: Level 2 (Self)

OBJECTIVE: Develop a collapsible, low-cost, fixed-wing Group 1 small uncrewed aerial system (sUAS) capable of autonomous intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) missions with a flight endurance of over one hour.

DESCRIPTION: The Navy has a growing need for a low-cost, portable, and rapidly deployable UAS to support ISR missions. Current systems are often expensive and bulky, and require significant logistical support. This SBIR topic seeks an innovative solution for a collapsible fixed-wing UAS that can be easily transported and deployed by a single operator. The UAS should be capable of autonomous flight and integration with standard flight control software (e.g., QGroundControl, Pixhawk).

Key requirements include a total cost under $5,000 for the airframe and components, a flight time exceeding one hour, a communication range of up to 10 km, and the ability to fit within a 2' x 2' x 1' case for transport. The system must support a modular nose payload, be initially equipped with an RGB camera, and have the potential to serve as a signal repeater for transmission of data. The primary technical challenge is to achieve the desired endurance and portability within the stringent cost constraints, requiring innovation in airframe design, materials, and component integration.

PHASE I: Develop a concept for a low-cost, collapsible Foldable Low-cost Expendable Wing (FLEX-Wing) sUAS. Determine the technical feasibility of the concept. Conduct trade studies for materials and components. Perform modeling and simulation to validate the aerodynamic performance, flight endurance, and structural integrity. Deliver a detailed concept design report, simulation results, field test results of the prototype, and a preliminary bill of materials demonstrating the path to achieving the cost target.

PHASE II: Design and develop a prototype through a structured, iterative engineering cycle within the appropriately distributed across the allotted Phase II timeframe to ensure feasible execution and rigorous validation. Fabricate and validate the prototype of the FLEX-Wing sUAS. Produce prototype hardware that transitions the flat-pack, off-the-shelf structural concepts into a fully integrated, flight-capable system. Deliver the physical prototype hardware (minimum of three complete kits) and associated technical data packages to the SYSCOM sponsor. (Note: The prototypes will undergo validation against the strict weight (Group 1), size, cost, and endurance metrics to verify readiness for Phase III commercialization and transition into a formal PMA-263 capability portfolio.)

The specific hardware and software to be developed and produced includes:

• The Airframe: A foldable, stackable, and bendable fixed-wing structure utilizing low-cost commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) materials (e.g., weatherproofed craft board/polymer) keeping total airframe and component costs below $5,000 per unit.
• A fully self-contained air vehicle kit that fits entirely within a compact 2 ft × 2 ft × 1 ft transit case (e.g., a Pelican case), including the folded airframe and required batteries. The Ground Control Station (GCS) may be provided separately, but must be backpack-portable (approximately laptop-sized) and capable of controlling multiple FLEX-Wing air vehicles.• Avionics & Software: Integration of a Pixhawk (or similar)-based flight controller running open-source flight software (e.g., QGroundControl).
• Payload & Communications: A modular nose-cone payload system featuring a baseline RGB camera for ISR loiter missions and an interchangeable signal repeater module. The communications suite will setup a telemetry link capable of up to 10km range.

Execution Phase Timeframe Associated Scope & Engineering Effort

1. Design & Component Sourcing Months 1-6 Based on Phase I modeling, design and develop a prototype architecture. Finalize COTS component selection (e.g., Pixhawk, 5.2GHz RF modules, RGB sensors) and establish manufacturing processes for the foldable airframe materials (e.g., die-cutting, hinge reinforcement).
2. Prototype Fabrication Months 7-12 Produce prototype hardware. Integrate the high-energy-density power systems required to achieve the >1 hr flight time. Assemble the modular nose payload bay and ensure the total system fits within the 2x2x1 ft storage constraint.
3. Integration & Software Tuning Months 13-18 Integrate flight controller firmware with QGroundControl. Develop processes, select an application (e.g., autonomous waypoint ISR and manual FPV terminal guidance), and validate the software hand-offs in a simulated environment.
4. Demonstration & Validation Months 19-24 Develop, demonstrate and validate the physical prototype in a relevant open-air test environment. Validate the up to 10km RF range, >1hr endurance, aerodynamic stability of the foldable wings, and ISR/signal-relay mission profiles.

PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: Expected Final State of the Technology

At the conclusion of the Phase II effort, the technology will exist as a fully integrated, flight-validated Group 1 sUAS with a finalized technical data package (TDP). The final state will be a highly mature prototype characterized by a scalable, low-cost manufacturing process (e.g., die-cut stamping of the COTS airframe materials). The system will feature DoW-compliant, open-architecture avionics and a validated modular nose payload bay, consistently demonstrating the ability to meet the sub-$5,000 cost threshold and the compact 2' x 2' x 1' storage requirement.

Scale the manufacturing process for high-volume, commercial production, allowing the military to purchase the system in bulk. Tactical operators will unpack, hand-launch, and utilize the system in contested or anti-access/area denial (A2/AD) environments for beyond-line-of-sight (BLOS) ISR, target acquisition, or to establish temporary mesh network extensions. Because it is highly attritable, warfighters will employ the system aggressively without the burden of planning for asset recovery, reverse logistics, or depot-level maintenance.

Target Platform and Program of Record

The expected transition path for the Phase III technology is insertion into the Small Unit Remote Scouting System (SURSS), an Acquisition Category IV program managed by the Naval Air Systems Command, Program Manager, Air 263 (Navy and Marine Corps Small Tactical Unmanned Aircraft Systems). The FLEX-Wing will serve as a complementary, expendable platform within their broader Family of Small UAS (FoSUAS) portfolio.

Potential commercial dual-use applications include rapid damage assessment following natural disasters, environmental monitoring, agricultural and land-management surveying, infrastructure inspection, and search-and-rescue support. These applications similarly benefit from a low-cost, portable, rapidly deployable fixed-wing sUAS with extended endurance.

REFERENCES:

1. "Blue UAS Framework." Defense Innovation Unit, United States Department of Defense, 2024. https://www.diu.mil/blue-uas
2. Dronecode Foundation. "PX4 User Guide." PX4 Autopilot Official Documentation, 2024. https://docs.px4.io
3. Dufour, L., Owen, K., Mintchev, S., & Floreano, D. (2016, October). A drone with insect-inspired folding wings. In 2016 IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems (IROS) (pp. 1576-1581). Ieee.
4. SYPAQ Systems. "Corvo Precision Payload Delivery System (PPDS)." SYPAQ, 2023, https://www.sypaq.com.au/corvo/ppds/

KEYWORDS: Group 1 sUAS, foldable, attritable, drone, man-packable, low-cost

TPOC 1: Peter Squire
peter.n.squire.civ@us.navy.mil

TPOC 2: Jeffrey Bolkhovsky
jeffrey.b.bolkhovsky.civ@health.mil