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WRIGHT PATTERSON AFB, Ohio, 25 Oct. 2009. Air Force researchers are looking for unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) technologies to enable manned and unmanned aircraft to operate together or in confined airspace without crashing into each other.
Air Force researchers acknowledge that UAVs are involved in an increasing number of missions by all branches of the military, so unmanned systems must have autonomous sense-and-avoid (SAA) collision avoidance technology to prevent hitting or interfering with other manned and unmanned aircraft.
The goal of the MUSAA unmanned vehicle program is to find ways for UAVs to merge seamlessly across the spectrum of piloted operations. To do this, UAV SAA systems must be able to perform the same essential functions as an aircraft pilot -- see and avoid other aircraft.
Technical challenges include:
-- how sensors, communication bandwidth, and power should be allocated;
-- rules for sharing of aircraft control;
-- human machine interfaces (HMIs);
-- sense-and-avoid capability for one UAV pilot operating several unmanned aircraft, or operating one or more UAVs in manned formation; and
-- interaction between several UAVs and several conflict aircraft.
The Multi-Vehicle Unmanned Aircraft Systems Sense And Avoid (MUSAA) program (broad agency announcement number 10-01 PKV), sponsored by the Air Force Research Laboratory at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, will award a $2.4 million three-year contract for MUSAA on or about 13 Feb. 2010.
First, however, interested companies must submit white papers outlining their ideas to the Air Force Research Lab by 10 Nov. -- less than three weeks away. Those submitting white papers will get further instructions on submitting proposals.
For technical questions, contact the Air Force's Vince Raska by phone at 937-255-1258, by e-mail at vincent.raska@wpafb.af.mil, or by post at Vince Raska, AFRL/RBCC, Room 270, Bldg 45, 2130 Eighth St., WPAFB, OH 45433-7542.
For contracting questions contact Edward Davidson by phone at 937-255-5459, by e-mail at Edward.davidson@wpafb.af.mil, or by post at Edward Davidson, AFRL/PKVC, Bldg 167, 2310 Eighth St., WPAFB, OH 45433-7801.
More information is online at https://www.fbo.gov/index?s=opportunity&mode=form&id=65651393319ae993c2c102ae2a5fe846&tab=core&_cview=0.
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-- Posted by John Keller, jkeller@pennwell.com. www.milaero.com.
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